sign in sign up
<<
Home , Abdelkader Benali, Abdullah Gymnastiar, Ahmed Kuftaro, Ali Gomaa, Al Adl Wa Al Ihssane, Al Maktoum

THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL = 2010

THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS = 2010

third edition - 2010 CHIEF EDITORS Dr Joseph Lumbard and Dr Aref Nayed

PREPARED BY Usra

DESIGNED AND TYPESET BY Simon Hart

CONSULTANT Siti Sarah Muwahidah

WITH THANKS TO Aftab Ahmed, Emma Horton, Ed Marques, Lamya Al-Khraisha, Mohammad Husni Naghawi, Kinan Al-Shaghouri, Farah El- , Jacob Washofsky, Mark B D Jenkins and Zahna Zurar

Copyright © 2010 by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without the prior consent of the publisher.

Image Copyrights: #27 Andrew Medichine / AP (Page 78); #28 Bazuki / (Page 79); #33 Ibrahim Usta / AP (Page 80); #38 Hussein Malla / AP (Page 84); #44 Amel Emric / AP (Page 87); #88 Ben Curtis / AP (Page 88); #48 Wang zhou bj / AP (Page 89)

اململكة األردنية الهاشمية رقم اإليداع لدى دائرة املكتبة الوطنية )2009/9/4068( يتحمل املؤلف كامل املسؤولية القانونية عن محتوى مصنفه و ال يعبر هذا املصنف عن رأي دائرة املكتبة الوطنية أو أي ّ . جهة حكومية أخرى ISBN: 978-9975-428-37-2

املركز امللكي للبحوث والدراسات اإلسالمية )مبدأ( the royal islamic strategic studies centre CONTENTS =

introduction 1 the diversity of 7 the diversity of islam - chart 16 top 50 25 runners-up 91 the lists 95 1. Scholarly 97 2. Political 107 3. Administrative 115 4. Lineage 127 5. Preachers 129 6. Women’s Issues 133 7. Youth 139 8. Philanthropy 141 9. Development 143 10. Science, Technology, Medicine, Law 153 11. Arts and Culture 157 Qur’an Reciters, 163 12. Media 165 13. Radicals 169 14. International Islamic Networks 171 15. Issues of the Day 175 glossary 179 appendix 185 Majority Muslim Countries 187 Muslim Population Statistics 189 not listed in 2010 201 index 209 note on format 223 INTRODUCTION =

introduction As an inaugural endeavor, The 500 Most Influential Muslims—2009 challenged the definition of influence in the while reporting on the contributions of those leaders and change-agents who have shaped social development and global movements in the past few years. With around 150,000 downloads of the e-book, it is no surprise that the list of Muslim leaders has been both widely scrutinized and praised.

Major critiques of The 500 Most Influential Muslims—2009 address the methodology which informed the selection process of influential candidates. The individuals in this publication have been nominated and selected because they are influential as Muslims, deriving their influence from their religious identity. They are considered influential because their work impacts all fields of work and particularly, the religious endeavors of the Muslim world. Their influence and accomplishments have been weighed against others in their respective fields and the heralds who have made it to the top ranks this past year are profiled in the following pages.

However, like any other superlative-themed ranking, there is bound to be a degree of subjectivity and this publication is no exception. Comparing the work of leaders across continents and diverse fields of work is a mammoth task structured on the premise that there is no absolute common measure between the people in these pages. Despite this reality, the benefit of such a list is that it elucidates the multiplicity of challenges and successes facing the Muslim world and the beacons at the forefront of these developments.

In many cases, the leaders’ influence is derived from political and religious authority—which is common to most of the individuals in the top 50. These people possess powerful positions but it is the potency of their work and the roles they play in the lives of the average citizen that garner influence. Naturally, heads of state and leading scholars comprise the highest ranks. Leaders from last year’s edition, such as His Majesty Qaboos bin Sa‘id al Sa‘id or US Representative Keith Ellison, are presented again for 2010 because they continue to affect global society through their capacities as political leaders. The other major criterion that warrants inclusion is if the leaders have had a major impact on the world in the past year.

3 Introduction

In total, we present 500 leaders in 15 categories of influence—Scholarly, Political, Administrative, Lineage, Preachers, Women’s Issues, Youth, Philanthropy, Development, Science/Technology/Medicine/Law, Arts and Culture, Media, Radicals, International Islamic Networks, and Issues of the Day. Changes in rank, and new entries are denoted by corresponding icons. Leaders are listed in alphabetical order by country and name.

Disclaimer and Invitation to Participate We thank all those who submitted nominations for The 500 Most Influential Muslims—2010. RISSC will continue to keep the process as open as possible and we ask you to please submit nominations at www.rissc.jo.

Demography of Influence Influence in the Muslim world is particular to its context. There is not a clear hierarchy or organized clergy for Muslims through which they identify a leader, such as a Patriarch for Orthodox Christians or a Pope for Catholics. Islam as a is based on the individual’s relationship with , without an intermediary. Influence in the Muslim world is derived from two sources: scholarship, and respect and trust. Scholars are able to educate the masses or give esteemed opinions, and respected and trusted persons carry the weight of social and historical capital as leaders in their societies.

As you will see, three types of people—monarchs, religious scholars, and leaders of religious networks—dominate the Top 50 list. Monarchs are well represented because of the influence they gain from their political power, the length of time they spend in office, their lineage in light of the institution of monarchy, and the deeply rooted establishments that they may inherit. Religious scholars are also strongly present in the list because they may be able to make religious rulings, and due to the simple fact that Muslims, of every hue, need figures from whom they can source concrete answers to practical questions. In a globalized world, networks of people and of institutions permeate our international society and accordingly have great power because of their ability to affect people’s lives, whether it be through funds or services. The Muslim world is no different and leaders of Islamic networks are represented in the top rungs of our list of 500.

4 Introduction

The one clear exception to this rule however is Amr Khaled who through sheer force of popularity and innovation—as the Muslim world’s first televangelist— exerts tremendous influence as a Muslim. Khaled has been able to chart his own course as a key figure in the Muslim world through the vehicle of mass media, and although as a layperson his religious authority is still somewhat limited he remains the great ‘start-up’ of the list.

Another important exception is Fethullah Gülen, a preacher, thinker and educator. Although, he assumed the leadership of a religious movement started by Said Nursî (1878-1960) and thus leads an expansive network, he has gone on to become a global phenomenon in his own right. Gülen’s popularity and authority in have been the driving force of the social movement that is widely thought to have brought around the social and eventually political changes of which politician Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been the ultimate heir—that is the enfranchisement of Muslim politics in Turkey.

Geography is also an important issue in terms of influence, with the Middle East and North America and holding disproportionate influence in relation to the quantity of Muslims in these regions. It is important to clarify that individuals from the Middle East have a disproportionate influence in the Muslim world, due to the fact that the region has many of the oldest and most well-esteemed institutions for Muslims, and most importantly is home to the holy sites in and . Europe and North America are host to a large proportion of the world’s most highly respected educational institutions and draw talented, influential people from around the world, with global outreach through their wealth and high academic standing. Many important international institutions are also based in Europe and North America, which adds to this asymmetry.

5

THE DIVERSITY OF ISLAM

i. the house of islam 9 The Essence of Islam 9 The Canon of Islam 11 Islam in History 12 ii. major doctrinal divisions within islam 14 a. Sunni 14 b. Shi‘i 15 c. Ibadi 15 iii. major ideological divisions within islam 17 a. Traditional Islam 18 b. 21 c. Islamic Fundamentalism 21

I. the house of islam

This section reprinted by permission of Vincenzo Oliveti © 2001 (with the exception of President Obama’s speech)

The religion of Islam is based on belief in the One God (who in is called ). It was founded by the Prophet Muhammad (570-632 CE) in the ancient cities of Mecca and Medina, in the west coast of the (known as the Hijaz). God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad the Holy Qur’an, the Sacred Book of Islam. The religion this created, however, was not a new message but simply a final restatement of God’s messages to the Hebrew Prophets and to . The Holy Qur’an says: Say ye: we believe in God and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have submitted. (The Holy Qur’an, 2:136) Moreover, the Holy Qur’an did not exclude the possibility of other than those that were given to the Prophets mentioned in the Bible (and thus did not exclude the possibility of other genuine ancient other than Judaism, ). God says, in the Holy Qur’an: Verily we have sent Messengers before thee [O Muhammad]. About some of them have we told thee, and about some have we not told thee . . . (40:78). And verily we have raised in every nation a Messenger [proclaiming]: serve God and shun false . . . (16:36).

THE ESSENCE OF ISLAM

The essence and substance of Islam can be easily summed up by three major principles (which are also successive stages in the spiritual life): Islam (meaning ‘submission to God’s will’); Iman (meaning ‘faith in God’), and (meaning ‘virtue through constant regard to, and awareness of, God’). The second Caliph, the great ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, related that: One day when we were sitting [in Medina] with the Messenger of God [the Prophet Muhammad] there came unto us a man whose clothes were of exceeding whiteness and whose hair was of exceeding blackness, nor were there any signs of travel upon him, although none of us knew him. He sat down knee upon knee opposite the Prophet, upon whose thighs he placed the palms of his hands, saying: ‘O Muhammad; tell me what is the surrender

9 the house of islam

(Islam)’. The Messenger of God answered him saying: ‘The surrender is to testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger, to perform the prayer, bestow the alms, fast and make if thou canst, the to the Holy House.’ He said, ‘Thou hast spoken truly,’ and we were amazed that having questioned him he should corroborate him. Then he said: ‘Tell me what is faith (Iman)’. He answered: ‘To believe in God and His and his Books and His Messengers and the Last Day [the Day of Judgement], and to believe that no good or evil cometh but by His Providence.’ ‘Thou hast spoken truly,’ he said, and then: ‘Tell me what is excellence (Ihsan).’ He answered: ‘To worship God as if thou sawest Him, for if Thou seest Him not, yet seeth He thee.’ ‘Thou hast spoken truly,’ he said...Then the stranger went away, and I stayed a while after he had gone; and the Prophet said to me: ‘O ‘Umar, knowest thou the questioner, who he was?’ I said, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘It was Gabriel [the Archangel]. He came unto you to teach you your religion.’1 Thus Islam as such consists of ‘five pillars’: 1( ) the Shahadatayn or the ‘two testimonies of faith’ (whose inward meaning is the acknowledgement of God). (2) The five daily prayers (whose inward meaning is the attachment to God). 3( ) Giving alms or —one-fortieth of one’s income and savings annually to the poor and destitute (whose inward meaning is the detachment from the world). (4) Fasting the Holy month of Ramadan annually (whose inward meaning is detachment from the body and from the ego). (5) Making the (whose inner meaning is to return to one’s true inner heart, the mysterious square, black- shrouded Ka’ba in Mecca being the outward symbol of this heart). Thus also Iman as such consists of belief in all the essential doctrines of religion (and the inner meaning of this is that one should not go through the motions of religion and of the blindly or robotically, but rather have real faith and certainty in one’s heart). Thus, finally,Ihsan as such consists in believing that God always sees us, and therefore that one must be virtuous and sincere in all one’s actions. In this connection the Prophet said: ‘By Him in whose Hand is my Life, none of you believes till he loves for his neighbour what he loves for himself ’.2 In summary, we could say that the essence of Islam is exactly the Two Commandments upon which Jesus said hangs all the Law and the Prophets: And Jesus answered him, The first of all commandments is ...the Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy understanding, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second commandment is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.3

1 Sahih Muslim, ‘Kitab al Iman’, 1, N.I. (The of the Prophet, like all sacred texts, are written above in italics). 2 Sahih Muslim, ‘Kitab al Iman’, 18, n. 72. 3 The Gospel according to Mark 12:29 –31. (See also Deuteronomy 6:5; and Matthew 22:37– 40).

10 the house of islam

THE CANON OF ISLAM Islam does not, like Christianity, have a clergy. There is no temporal or even spiritual institute that holds it together or unifies it. So how has it held together— and indeed, flourished—for the last fourteen centuries approximately, when its scholars and temporal policymakers keep changing and dying out over time? How has it remained so homogeneous that the Islam of 1900 CE was doctrinally exactly the same as the Islam of 700 CE? Where have its internal checks and balances come from? The answer is that Islam has a traditional canon:4 a collection of sacred texts which everyone has agreed are authoritative and definitive, and which ‘fix’ the principles of belief, practice, law, theology and doctrine throughout the ages. All that Muslim scholars (called ulema and or and ) have left to do is to interpret these texts and work out their practical applications and details (and the principles of interpretation and elaboration are themselves ‘fixed’ by these texts), so that in Islam a person is only considered learned to the extent that he can demonstrate his knowledge of these texts. This does not mean that Islam is a religion of limitations for these texts are a vast ocean and their principles can be inwardly worked out almost infinitely in practice. It does mean, however, that Islam is ‘fixed’ and has certain limits beyond which it will not go. This is an extremely important concept to understand, because misunderstanding it, and setting aside the traditional canon of Islam, leads to people killing and assassinating others in the name of religion. The traditional canon of Islam is what protects not just the religion of Islam itself, but the world (including Muslims themselves) from terrorism, murder and oppression in the name of Islam. The canon is Islam’s internal check and balance system; it is what safeguards its moderation; it is ‘self-censorship’ and its ultimate safety feature. To be more specific, the traditional Sunni Islamic Canon starts with the Qur’an itself; then the great traditional Commentaries upon it (e.g. Tabari; Razi; Zamakhshari/Baydawi; Qurtubi; Jalalayn; ; Nasafi; and al Wahidi’s Asbab al Nuzul); then the eight traditional collections of , the sayings of the Prophet, (e.g. Muslim; Bukhari; Tirmidhi; Ibn Hanbal, al Nasa’i; al Sijistani; al Darimi and Ibn Maja); the later Muhaddithin, or Traditionists (e.g. Bayhaqi; Baghawi; Nawawi and ‘Asqalani); then the traditional biographical and historical works of Sira (Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Sa‘d, Waqidi; Azraqi; Tabari; and Suhayli); the Risala of al Shafi‘i: the Muwatta’ of Malik; the Ihya’ ‘Ulum al Din of Ghazali; Ash‘arite and Maturidian theology; the (original)‘Aqida of Tahawi; Imam Jazuli’s Dala’il al Khayrat, and finally—albeit only extrinsically— Jahiliyya poetry (as a background reference for the semantic connotations of

4 Even the English word ‘canon’ comes from the Arabic word kanun meaning ‘law’ or ‘principle’ .

11 the house of islam

words in the Arabic language). We give a specific (but not exhaustive) list here in order to minimize the possibility of misunderstanding.

ISLAM IN HISTORY

It is evidently not possible to do justice to the role of Islam in world history, thought and civilization in a few words, but the following paragraph by Britain’s Prince Charles attempts it: ‘The medieval Islamic world, from Central Asia to the shores of the Atlantic, was a world where scholars and men of learning flourished. But because we have tended to see Islam as the enemy, as an alien culture, society, and system of belief, we have tended to ignore or erase its great relevance to our own history. For example, we have underestimated the importance of eight hundred years of Islamic society and culture in Spain between the 8th and 15th centuries. The contribution of Muslim Spain to the preservation of classical learning during the Dark Ages, and to the first flowerings of the Renaissance, has long been recognized. But Islamic Spain was much more then a mere larder where Hellenistic knowledge was kept for later consumption by the emerging modern Western world. Not only did Muslim Spain gather and preserve the intellectual content of ancient Greek and Roman civilization, it also interpreted and expanded upon that civilization, and made a vital contribution of its own in so many fields of human endeavour—in science, astronomy, mathematics, algebra (it self an Arabic word), law, history, medicine, pharmacology, optics, agriculture, architecture, theology, music. Averroes [Ibn Rushd] and Avenzoor [Ibn Zuhr], like their counterparts Avicenna [Ibn Sina] and Rhazes [ al Razi] in the East, contributed to the study and practice of medicine in ways from which Europe benefited for centuries afterwards.’ 5 On 4 June, 2009, US President Barack Obama said the following at University: ‘As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam. It was Islam— at places like Al Azhar—that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. has given us majestic arches and soaring spires;

5 HRH the Prince of Wales, 'Islam and the West', a lecture given at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford on October 27th, 1993, pp.17-18.

12 the house of islam

timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality. I also know that Islam has always been a part of America’s story. The first nation to recognize my country was . In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President, John , wrote, ‘The has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.’ And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, they have served in our government, they have stood for civil rights, they have started businesses, they have taught at our universities, they’ve excelled in our sports arenas, they’ve won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers—Thomas Jefferson—kept in his personal library.’6

6 Barack Obama's speech in Cairo, ‘Remarks by the President on a New Beginning’ June 4, 2009.

13 II. major doctrinal divisions within islam

A. SUNNI DOCTRINE

1) Ash‘ari and Schools: Sunni Orthodoxy1 These two schools of doctrine are followed by the bulk of Sunni Muslims and differ only in minor details. Ash‘ari School: This school is named after the 9th century scholar Abu al Hasan al Ash‘ari (874-936 CE) and is widely accepted throughout the Sunni Muslim world. They believe that the characteristics of God are ultimately beyond human comprehension, and trust in the is essential, although the use of rationality is important. Maturidi School: This school is named after the 9th century scholar Muhammad Abu Mansur al Maturidi (853-944 CE) and has a wide following in regions where law is practiced. They have a slightly more pronounced reliance on human reason.

2) Salafi School This school was developed around the doctrines of 18th century scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab (1703-1792 CE). Salafis have specific doctrinal beliefs, owing to their particular interpretation of Islam, that differentiate them from the majority of Sunnis, such as a literal anthropomorphic interpretation of God. Salafis place a great emphasis on literal interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith, with skepticism towards the role of human reason in theology.

3) Mu’tazili School This school was developed between the 8th and 10th centuries. Although it is traced back to Wasil ibn Ata (d. 748 CE) in , theologians Abu al Hudhayl al ‘Allaf (d. 849 CE) and Bishr ibn al Mu’tamir (d. 825 CE) are credited with formalizing its theological stance. Mu’tazili thought relies heavily on logic, including Greek philosophy. Although it no longer has a significant following, a small minority of contemporary intellectuals have sought to revive it. Mutazilites believe that the Qur’an was created as opposed to the Orthodox Sunni view that it is eternal and uncreated. Moreover they advocate using rationalism to understand allegorical readings of the Qur’an.

14 major doctrinal divisions within islam

B. SHI‘I DOCTRINE

1) The School Belief in the (‘Ismah) of descended from the family of the Prophet (Ahl al Bayt) who are believed to be the spiritual and rightful political authorities of the Muslim community (Umma). The twelfth Imam, the , is believed to be in to return in the future.

2) Isma‘ili School The Qur’an and Hadith are said to have truths lying with a single living Imam, descended directly from the Prophet. Also known as ‘seveners’ for their belief that Isma‘il ibn Ja‘far was the seventh and final leading-Imam of the Muslim community.

3) Zaidi School The infallibility of the Twelve Imams and the notion of occultation are rejected in favor of accepting the leadership of a living Imam. The Imamate can be held by any descendant of the Prophet (). Zaidis are also known as ‘fivers’ for their belief that Zayd ibn Ali was the fifth and final leading-Imam of the Muslim community.

C. IBADI DOCTRINE

Ibadis believe that God created the Qur’an at a certain point in time, and that God will not be seen on the Day of Judgment. They also believe in the eternal nature of hell for all those who enter it.

15 Shi’i 1. Revolutionary Shi’ism Revolutionary 1. Sunni 1. 1. Wahabism/Salafism 2. Islamic Modernism (1%) Islamic Fundamentalism (3%) Islamic Fundamentalism Ibadi (0.5% of 96%) (1% of 8%) (99% of 8%) (1.6 Billion People 2010) (1.6 Billion People (8% of 96%) THE DIVERSITY OF ISLAM 1. Branches 1. Usuli Brotherhoods Mystic 2. ( > 0.5% of 96%) (Seveners) Isma’ilis ( > 1% of 96%) Zaidis (Fivers) (9.5% of 96%) Shi’i Major IdeologicalMajor Divisions within Islam (2% of 96%) (45% of 96%) (28% of 96%) (15% of 96%) Traditional Islam (96%) Traditional (90% of 96%) Sunni Doctrine1. Schoold of1. Law Schools and Maturidi Ash’ari Hanafi defunct) School (now Mu’tazili Shafi’i Brotherhoods Mystic 2. Naqshabandiyya Shadiliyyah Rifa’iyyah Subrawardiyyah Kubrawiyyah Chistiyyah Ba’Alawiyyah Khalwatiyyah Badawiyyah 16 III. major ideological divisions within islam

TRADITIONAL ISLAM (96% of the world’s muslims)

Also known as Orthodox Islam, this ideology is not politicized and is largely based on scholarly consensus of correct opinion—thus including the Sunni, Shi‘a, and Ibadi branches of practice (and their subgroups) within the fold of Islam, and not groups such as the Druze or the , among others.

ISLAMIC MODERNISM (1% of the world’s muslims)

Emerging from 19th century Ottoman Turkey and , this subdivision contextualized Islamic ideology for the times—emphasizing the need for religion to evolve with Western social advances.

ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM (3% of the world’s muslims)

This is a highly politicized religious ideology popularized in the 20th century through movements within both the Shi‘a and Sunni branches of Islam— characterized by aggressiveness and a reformist attitude toward traditional Islam.

17 ideological divisions

IIIa. traditional islam SUNNI (90% of the world’s traditional muslims)

The largest denomination of Muslims are referred to as Ahl as wa’l Jama’h or ‘people of the prophetic tradition and community’—with emphasis on emulating the life of the last Prophet, Muhammad.

Schools Of Islamic Law Hanafi (45.5%) Named after Imam Abu Hanifa (699-767 CE/ 89-157 AH) in . Shafi‘i (28%) Named after Imam al Shafi‘i (767-820 CE/ 150-204 AH) in Medina. Maliki (15%) Named after Imam Malik (711-795 CE/ 93-179 AH) in Medina. Hanbali (2%) Named after Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (780 -855 CE/ 164-241 AH) in Iraq.

Mystic Brotherhoods Ba‘alawiyyah Founded by al Faqih As Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali Ba‘Alawi al Husaini (d. 1232 CE) in the Hadramaut valley of . Influence: popular across the Arabian Peninsula, , the North and West Coasts of Africa and the Malay Archipelago.

Naqshbandiyyah Founded by Baha al Din Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) in Bukhara, modern day Uzbekistan. Influence: popular from China to North Africa, Europe and America.

Qadiriyyah Founded by Persian scholar and saint ‘Abd al Qadir al Jilani (1077-1166 CE) in Baghdad, Iraq. Influence: stretches from Morocco to , from Central Asia to .

Tijaniyyah Founded by the Algerian saint Ahmad al Tijani (d. 1815 CE) who settled and taught in Fez, Morocco. Influence: major spiritual and religious role in , , and much of Sub-Saharan Africa.

18 ideological divisions

Shadiliyyah Founded by the Moroccan saint Abu'l-Hassan al Shadili (d. 1258 CE). Influence: most influential in North Africa and Egypt.

Rifa‘iyyah Founded by Ahmad ibn 'Ali al Rifa‘i (d. 1182 CE) in southern Iraq. Influence: widely practiced across the Muslim world with a strong presence in Egypt.

Suhrawardiyyah Founded by Persian scholar Abu Najib Suhrawardi (d. 1168 CE) in Iraq. Influence: a strong presence in India.

Kubrawiyyah Founded by Najm al Din Kubra (d. 1221 CE) from Khawarzm, modern day Uzbekistan. Influence: mostly present across Central Asia.

Mawlawiyyah A Turkish order founded by the Persian saint and poet Jalal al Din (d. 1273 CE). Influence: mainly in Turkey.

Chishtiyyah Founded by the Persian saint Mu‘in al Din Chishti (d. 1236 CE) in Khurasan. Influence: highly influential in India.

Khalwatiyyah A Turkish order founded by the Persian saint ‘Umar al Khalwati (d. 1397 CE). Influence: large presence in the Balkans, , and North Africa.

Badawiyyah An Egyptian order founded by the Moroccan saint Ahmad al Badawi (d. 1276 CE), considered by many as the patron saint of Egypt. Influence: active role in Egypt and the .

19 ideological divisions

SHI‘A (9.5% of the world’s traditional muslims)

Schools of Islamic Law The second-largest denomination of Muslims are referred to as Shi‘atu ‘Ali or ‘the party of ‘Ali,’ the fourth caliph of Islam and first Imam in Shi’ism. Twelvers (8% of Muslims) Named after Imam Ja‘far al Sadiq (702-765 CE/ 83- 148 AH) in Medina.

Usuli (99% of Twelvers) This dominant school favors the use of , independent legal reasoning, with an emphasis on four accepted collections of Hadith. It derives legal opinions from living , or mujtahids, whose rulings become obligatory. , the practice of following rulings without questioning the religious authority, is a core tenet of this school. The name Usuli is derived from the Arabic term usul meaning ‘principle’.

Akhbari: reject the use of ijtihad or reasoning, and do not follow marjas who practice ijtihad. They also prohibit exegesis of the Qur’an. They derive legal rulings from the Qur’an, Hadith, and consensus. The name Akhbari is derived from the Arabic term akhbar meaning ‘traditions’. They can trace their roots to Muhammad Amin Astarabadi (d. 1627 CE). Akhbaris continue to exist to this day, although in small, concentrated pockets, particularly around Basra, Iraq.

Isma‘ilis (Seveners) (Less than 0.5% of Muslims) Named after of Muhammad ibn Ismail (746-809 CE/128-193 AH) in Medina. Zaidis (Fivers) (Less than 0.8% of Muslims) Named after of Imam Zaid ibn ‘A li (695-740 CE) in Medina.

Mystic Brotherhoods Irfan Irfan, which means ‘knowing’ in Arabic and ‘most beautiful and knowledgeable person’ in Pashto, is Shi‘a . Mulla Sadr al Din Muhammad Shirazi (1571-1636 CE) from is considered a leading theorist of Irfan in Shi‘a Islam.

IBADI (0.5% of the world’s traditional muslims)

The Ibadi school has origins in and is linked to the , but the modern day community is distinct from the 7th century Islamic sect. It was founded after the death of Prophet Muhammad and is currently practiced by a majority of ’s Muslim population. It is also found across parts of Africa.

20 ideological divisions

IIIb. islamic modernism Islamic modernism is a reform movement started by politically-minded urbanites with scant knowledge of traditional Islam. These people had witnessed and studied Western technology and socio-political ideas, and realized that the Islamic world was being left behind technologically by the West and had become too weak to stand up to it. They blamed this weakness on what they saw as ‘traditional Islam,’ which they thought held them back and was not ‘progressive’ enough. They thus called for a complete overhaul of Islam, including—or rather in particular—Islamic law (shari‘a) and doctrine (‘aqida). Islamic modernism remains popularly an object of derision and ridicule, and is scorned by traditional Muslims and fundamentalists alike.

IIIc. islamic fundamentalism

SUNNI

Muslim Brotherhood The Muslim Brotherhood, or Al Ikhwan Al Muslimeen is a transnational Sunni movement, with no particular ideological agenda. It is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states, particularly in Egypt where it was founded in opposition to colonial rule by Hassan al Banna in 1928. Al Banna originally sought to revive Muslim culture from its position of exploitation under colonial rule, through charitable and educational work: to give Islam a central role in people’s life. Sayyid (1906-1966 CE) was also a leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in the 1950s and 1960s.

Wahhabism/Salafism /Salafism are terms used interchangeably to refer to a particular brand of Islam. , meaning predecessors in Arabic, refers to the very early practice of Islam by Muhammad and his immediate successors. Salafism proposes to revive the practice of Islam as it was at the time of the Prophet and is critical of emphasis being placed on thinkers from after this period. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al Wahhab (1703-1792 CE) was the central figure in the formulation of this ideology therefore Salafism is often simply known as Wahhabism.

21 ideological divisions

SHI‘A

Revolutionary Shi‘ism Revolutionary Shi‘ism is an ideology based on the teachings of the late (1902-1989 CE), which shares many similarities with Marxist revolutionary thought. Khomeini believed that the only way to secure independence from colonial or imperial forces was through the creation of a Shi‘a state, under the idea of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist). This means that all politics is subject to the opinion of the Supreme Leader who is responsible for the continued success of the revolution. Revolutionary Shi‘ism is only practiced in Iran.

22 Notes

Notes: 1. Orthodoxy in Islam is based on verse 2:285 of the Holy Qur’an, and has been best defined by the historical 2005 international Islamic consensus on the ‘three points’ of the (see: www.ammanmessage.com), these points being: (a) Whosoever is an adherent to one of the four Sunni schools (Madhabs) of Islamic jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali), the two Shi‘a schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Ja‘fari and Zaydi), the Ibadi school of Islamic jurisprudence and the Thahiri school of Islamic jurisprudence, is a Muslim. Declaring that person an apostate is impossible and impermissible. Verily his (or her) blood, honour, and property are inviolable. Moreover, in accordance with the Al Azhar’s fatwa, it is neither possible nor permissible to declare whosoever subscribes to the Ash‘ari creed or whoever practices real Tasawwuf () an apostate. Likewise, it is neither possible nor permissible to declare whosoever subscribes to true Salafi thought an apostate. Equally, it is neither possible nor permissible to declare as apostates any group of Muslims who believes in God, Glorified and Exalted be He, and His Messenger (may peace and blessings be upon him) and the pillars of faith, and acknowledges the five pillars of Islam, and does not deny any necessarily self-evident tenet of religion. (b) There exists more in common between the various schools of Islamic jurisprudence than there is difference between them. The adherents to the eight schools of Islamic jurisprudence are in agreement as regards the basic principles of Islam. All believe in Allah (God), Glorified and Exalted be He, the One and the Unique; that the Noble Qur’an is the Revealed Word of God; and that our master Muhammad, may blessings and peace be upon him, is a Prophet and Messenger unto all mankind. All are in agreement about the five pillars of Islam: the two testaments of faith (shahadatayn); the ritual prayer (salat); almsgiving (zakat); fasting the month of Ramadan (sawm), and the Hajj to the sacred house of God (in Mecca). All are also in agreement about the foundations of belief: belief in Allah (God), His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, in the Day of Judgment, and in Divine Providence in good and in evil. Disagreements between the ulema (scholars) of the eight schools of Islamic jurisprudence are only with respect to the ancillary branches of religion (furu‘) and not as regards the principles and fundamentals (usul) [of the religion of Islam]. Disagreement with respect to the ancillary branches of religion (furu‘) is a mercy. Long ago it was said that variance in opinion among the ulema (scholars) ‘is a good affair’. (c) Acknowledgement of the schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Madhabs) within Islam means adhering to a fundamental methodology in the issuance of fatwas: no one may issue a fatwa without the requisite personal qualifications which each school of Islamic jurisprudence determines [for its own adherents]. No one may issue a fatwa without adhering to the methodology of the schools of Islamic jurisprudence. No one may claim to do unlimited ijtihad and create a new school of Islamic jurisprudence or to issue unacceptable fatwas that take Muslims out of the principles and certainties of the shari‘a and what has been established in respect of its schools of jurisprudence.

23

THE TOP 50 = 1. His Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, King of , Custodian of the Two Holy 2. His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey 3. His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran 4. His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of 5. His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of Morocco 6. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Sa‘id al Sa‘id, Sultan of Oman 7. His Eminence Professor Dr Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad al Tayeb, Grand Sheikh of the Al Azhar University, Grand Imam of the Al Azhar 8. His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hussein Sistani, Marja of the , , Iraq 9. His Excellency President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of 10. His Eminence Sheikh Dr , Grand of The Arab Republic of Egypt 11. His Eminence Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Aal al Sheikh, of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 12. Dr Mohammed Badie, Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood 13. Hodjaefendi Fethullah Gülen, Turkish Muslim Preacher 14. Sheikh Dr Yusuf al Qaradawi, Head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars 15. Amr Khaled, Preacher and Social Activist 16. Hajji Mohammed Abd al Wahhab, Amir of , 17. Sheikh Dr Muhammad Sa‘id Ramadan al Bouti, Leading Islamic Scholar in Syria 18. Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah 19. Dr KH , Chairman of Indonesia’s Nahdlatul 20. His Royal Highness Shah Karim al Hussayni, The Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims 21. His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of 22. His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces 23. His Royal Eminence Amirul Mu’minin Sheikh as Sultan Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto 24. Her Eminence Sheikha Munira Qubeysi, Leader of the Qubeysi Movement 25. Sheikh Salman al Ouda, Saudi Scholar and Educator 26. Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza Khan Qaadiri Al Azhari, Grand Mufti of India, Barelwi Leader and Spiritual Guide 27. His Excellency Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Brother Leader of the Revolution of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 28. His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Darussalam 29. His Eminence Mohammad bin Mohammad al Mansour, Imam of the Zaidi Sect of Shi‘a Muslims 30. His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Deputy-Head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars 31. His Eminence Justice Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Leading Scholar of Islamic Jurisprudence 32. His Excellency President Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey 33. Her Majesty Queen Rania al Abdullah, Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 34. Sheikh Mohammad Ali al Sabouni, Scholar of 35. Dr Aaidh Al Qarni, Saudi Scholar 36. His Eminence Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Ali Cisse, Leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi Order 37. Sheikh al Umar bin , Director of Dar Al Mustafa, Tarim, Yemen 38. Khaled Mashaal, Leader of 39. Professor Dr M , Chairman of the , Indonesia 40. Maulana Mahmood Madani, Leader and Executive Member of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, India 41. Sheikh Habib ‘Ali Zain al Abideen al Jifri, Director General of the Tabah Foundation, UAE 42. Sheikh Hanson, Founder of Zaytuna Institute, United States of America 43. His Eminence Sheikh Professor Dr Mustafa Ceric, Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina 44. His Excellency Professor Dr Ekmelledin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference 45. Adnan Oktar, Authority on Islamic Creationism 46. His Excellency Mir-Hossein Mousavi , Iranian Opposition Leader 47. His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammad Burhannuddin Saheb, The 52nd Da’i l-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras 48. Professor Dr , Scholar of 49. Sheikh Mehmet Nazim Adil al Qubrusi al Haqqani, Leader of -Haqqani Sufi Order 50. His Excellency Dr Abd al Aziz bin ‘ Altwaijiri, Secretary General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 1 HIS MAJESTY KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDUL AZIZ AL SAUD King of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud of the Country: Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Date of Birth: 1 August 1924 Mosques is the most influential Muslim in the world. Source of Influence: Political, Saudi Arabia is geopolitically important as the most Administrative, Lineage powerful Arab nation in the region. King Abdullah also Influence: King with authority garners influence globally for Saudi Arabia’s interna- over 29 million Saudis, aprox. tional role as an exporter of crude oil and refined pe- 2 million Hajj pilgrims and troleum products. over 15 million Umrah pilgrims Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques annually King Abdullah has significant influence in the global School of Thought: Moderate Muslim community through his custodianship of the Salafi two holy sites of Mecca and Medina. Mecca is the main Rank: 2010:1 · 2009:1 pilgrimage site for 1.5 billion Muslims—of which 2.4 million fulfill their religious obligation annually.

Controls World’s Largest Oil Reserves King Abdullah reigns over a land of massive crude oil reserves—Saudi Arabia has approxi- mately 25 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves—making him a key player in the global petroleum industry.

Controls Largest Da’wa Network King Abdullah is also head of the most extensive da’wa network of missionary Muslims in the world, promoting the Salafi brand of Islam. Salafism is historically rooted in Saudi Arabia, and owes its global spread to financial backing from the Saudi .

Reformer King Abdullah has proven his domestic influence in Saudi Arabia through his ability to enact multiple landmark reforms to fight corruption, balance the Saudi budget, tailor the educa- tion system, address women’s and minority rights, engage in interreligious diplomacy as well as tackle problems in the justice system. He has: • Appended the Baya Council; a 38-man family council to legitimize the process of choos- ing successors to the Saudi throne. • Cleaned up corruption in the Saudi Royal Family. • Increased the representation of minorities in Saudi governance, including increased Shi‘a representation in the Council. • Given women a voice and increased their social participation. • Taken educational administration out of the hands of religious leaders and gave author- ity instead to the educational establishment. • Presented a $10 billion endowment for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. • Systematically replaced hard-line Salafi judges with moderate leaders in the Saudi court system. Employed personal interventions within the justice system—in particular re- gard to marriages.

28 © Hassan Ammar / AP • Cut the funding power of the morality police. • Convened a global interfaith summit in 2008 and subsequently issued the Madrid Dec- laration, which calls for tolerance between religions and a culture of peace. • The first Saudi monarch in51 years to address the UN General Assembly and the first reigning Saudi monarch to have met with a pope, Pope Benedict XVI in November 2007. • Donates to all poor in the world. He donated $50 million in cash and $10 million-worth of relief materials for the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake in China and pledged a $1 billion donation towards the reconstruction of the Palestinian coastal territory during the Is- raeli war on Gaza.

29 2 HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey

Since 2003, Erdogan has been the Prime Minister of Country: Turkey one of the most populous and economically developed Date of Birth: 26 February 1954 Muslim-majority countries in the world. Although Source of Influence: Political Turkey has been run according to the ideals of secular- Influence: Leads government ism since the end of the , the popu- of 77.4 million Turkish citizens lace is predominantly religious, and primarily Muslim. School of Thought: Traditional Erdogan is also the chairman of the ruling AK Party Sunni (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, the Justice and Develop- Rank: 2010:2 · 2009:5  ment Party) though he has announced this year the concession of his parliamentary seat in 2015. The AK Party’s official ideology is ‘conservative democracy’; an attempt to create a Muslim democ- racy in an aggressively secular country.

A Popular Reformist The political power that Erdogan now has is in part due to the AK Party’s ability to institute political reforms; both to produce major economic growth and also to enfranchise religious Muslim voters. Erdogan has recently called for more transparency in military operations by abolishing The Protocol on Cooperation for Security and Public Order (EMASYA), which was enacted in 1997. Despite his party’s Islamic orientation, Erdogan has put increased emphasis on Turkey’s ac- cession to the EU—both in Ankara and Brussels. In fact, the stress on EU accession is par- tially due to his party’s Islamic orientation, as accession to the EU requires further religious freedom reforms that are sought by Turkey’s Muslim population. Erdogan is also leading groundbreaking initiatives to ensure the rights of Turkey’s Kurdish population, and its re- ligious minorities—most recently calling for the establishment of an independent anti-dis- crimination commission, and the launch of a state-run Kurdish language television channel.

A Mediator Erdogan insists on a role for Turkey as a mediator and bridge between cultures and civiliza- tions. The Alliance of Civilizations initiative of the United Nations—that Erdogan estab- lished with the Spanish president, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero—has become a key forum for international, intercultural, and interreligious dialogue and cooperation.

Outspoken on Gaza Erdogan is hailed for his strong opposition toward the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. He is noted for his high-profile snub of Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2009, and his criticism of Israel's May 31 raid on a humanitarian flotilla, which mark his growing influence in the Muslim world.

Good Neighbor Policy Erdogan has led a new approach in Turkish foreign relations through his adoption of a ‘good neighbor policy’—in August 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed protocols to improve rela- tions. During Erdogan’s leadership Turkey has focused on building stronger relations with all of its seven land-contiguous neighbors (especially Greece) and also all of those countries bordering the Black Sea (an important trading hub and a geopolitically significant area).

30 © Darko Vojinovic / AP

31 3 HIS EMINENCE GRAND AYATOLLAH HAJJ SAYYID ALI KHAMENEI Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Grand Ayatollah Khamenei is the Supreme Leader of Country: Iran the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was born in Date of Birth: 17 July 1939 in the far north east of Iran, and studied in the leading Source of Influence: Political, Iranian religious seminary in , before becoming Administrative involved in the struggle with the Pahlavi Regime in the Influence: Supreme Leader of sixties and seventies. 66.8 million Iranians School of Thought: Traditional Champion of Iranian Solidarity Twelver Shi‘a, Revolutionary Although Khamenei was initially criticized for endors- Shi’ism ing the June 2009 re-election of President Mahmoud Rank: 2010:3 · 2009:2  Ahmadinejad, he has been acclaimed for his response to the post-election turmoil. He ordered the closing of the Kahrizak detention centre in response to reports of prisoner abuse and deaths. He has called for solidarity within Iran, in light of the 31st anniversary of the Islamic republic on February 11, 2010.

Defender of the Islamic Republic As a response to the June sanctions on Iran passed by the U.N. Security council Khamenei publicly denounced the efforts of the U.S. and Western powers as weak attempts at 'bullying' Iran, in an effort to garner influnce as a defender of the Islamic Republic. This comes at a time when his support of President Ahmadinejad is seen as a blot on his influence. July pro- tests against Ahmadinejad's tax increase on Iran's merchants were marked by public outcry against the Supreme Leader.

Supreme Leader, Velayat-e Faqih Khamenei’s current influence stems from his powerful position as a religious leader, which gives him a unique role in political affairs. His job is to enact the Velayat-e Faqih—the guard- ianship of the jurist. In real terms this means a system where scholars of (Islamic juris- prudence) have a controlling say in the political affairs of the state. The rule of the jurist was a concept created by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, based on ideas that have run through Ira- nian political history since the time of Shah Ismail—who was the first to make Shi‘a Islam the national religion of Iran. The rule of the jurist was conceived in a battle against oppression as a way of safeguarding the Iranian nation from tyranny, giving the final say in all matters to a group of religious scholars, the Council of Guardians. This Council is headed by a chief arbitrator—the Supreme Leader.

Leader of Shi‘a Revolution Khamenei gains much of his influence in Iran from his role as a leader of the Islamic Revolu- tion in Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran was forged out of the 1979 Revolution. Combating what many saw as the tyrannical rule of the Shah, Khamenei joined the Society of Combat- ant Clergy that staged demonstrations mobilizing many of the protests leading to the Shah’s overthrow. After the revolution in 1979, Khamenei was one of the founding members of the Islamic Republic Party, and a member of the assembly of experts that was responsible for drafting Iran’s new constitution.

32 © Caren Firouz / Reuters

33 4 HIS MAJESTY KING ABDULLAH II BIN AL HUSSEIN King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

King Abdullah II of Jordan has influence in Jordan and Country: Jordan around the world due to his lineage in the Hashem- Date of Birth: 30 January 1962 ite family, his custodianship of and activ- Source of Influence: Political, ism on various fronts—from freedom of the press and Lineage reformed domestic policy to international diplomacy. Influence: King with authority In his reign as King, he is noted for having developed over approximately 6.4 million Jordan’s free market economy, arts and culture scene, as Jordanians and outreach to well as addressing issues of homelessness and poverty. Traditional Islam Prophetic Lineage School of Thought: Traditional King Abdullah II is a member of the Hashemite family Sunni and a 41st generation direct descendant of the Proph- Rank: 2010:4 · 2009:4 et Muhammad through the lineage of the Prophet’s grandson al Hasan. The , or Bani Hashem, link back to the tribe of Quraish. Hashem was the name of the Prophet’s great-grandfather. King Abdullah II is thus a member of the Ahl al Bayt (the family of the Prophet Muhammad).

Ruling The Hashemite family ruled Mecca from 1201 CE to 1925 CE and other branches of the fam- ily ruled Mecca from 500 CE, when Qusayy, the grandfather of Hashem, became Mecca’s first king. The Hashemite dynasty is the oldest ruling dynasty in the Islamic world, and the second-oldest in the world, after that of Japan.

Custodian of Holy Sites in Jerusalem As custodian of the Muslim holy sites in the city of Jerusalem, King Abdullah II maintains a unique prestige in the region. He has gone on record in March 2010 to condemn Israel’s inclu- sion of West Bank religious sites in its national heritage list.

Islamic Outreach King Abdullah II has proven influence at the forefront of a global intra-faith movement, through the creation of the Amman Message; a call for greater intra-religious tolerance and unity in Islam that was endorsed by representatives from all major Muslim groups in 2004. King Abdullah II is also credited with the Royal Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought’s most authoritative website on the Qur’an and tafsir or Qur’anic exegesis (AlTafsir.com). An extensive resource for Islamic scholarship, AlTafsir.com includes Arabic texts from over 90 commentaries of the Qur’an, Hadith texts, among other tools for research in the Qur’anic sciences, with daily hits in the thousands. King Abdullah II is also noted for founding the new World Islamic Sciences and Education University in Jordan (www.wise.edu.jo). King Abdullah II is also lauded as an interfaith leader for the 2007 initiative, A Common Word—a groundbreaking initiative in Christian-Muslim engagement (www.acommon- word.com).

Peace Activist King Abdullah II is the leading player in the dialogue for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. He has openly called for discussion in the negotiations toward a two-state solution.

34 35 5 HIS MAJESTY KING MOHAMMED VI King of Morocco

Known as Amir al Mu’minin, or Commander of the Country: Morocco Faithful, King Mohammad VI of Morocco is lauded for Date of Birth: 21 August 1963 his domestic reform policies and pioneering efforts in Source of Influence: Political, modernizing Morocco and countering terrorism. He Administrative, Development tackles issues of poverty, vulnerability and social ex- Influence: King with authority clusion at home, and has improved foreign relations. over 35 million Moroccans King Mohammad VI is an influential leader, mainly School of Thought: Traditional due to his position as the only legitimate contender for Sunni, Maliki the Islamic , for his control of the network of Rank: 2010:5 · 2009:3  Muslims following the Maliki school of Islamic juris- prudence, and as a leading monarch in Africa.

Contender for the Caliphate As successor to a 350 year-old dynasty, King Mohammad VI’s lineage makes him the only le- gitimate contender for the Islamic Caliphate. The links back to the Prophet Muhammad. King Mohammad VI possesses the only authentic claim to an Islamic Caliphate, if one were to be established. Indeed, the Moroccans never recognized the on the grounds that the Ottomans were not descendents of the Prophet Muhammad.

Control of Maliki Network King Mohammad VI also leads the oldest Islamic establishment of Maliki Muslims. The Ma- liki madhab is the third largest school of jurisprudence in Islam. This school bases its rulings on the Qur’an and Hadith but also predominantly derives its practices from the work of (711-795 CE) and his texts, the Al Muwatta and Al Mudawana. Since early in his reign, King Mohammed VI has implemented the Mudawana family law code that gives rights to women in divorce and property ownership, as well as citizenship to children born to non-Moroccan fathers. He has also commissioned the Islamic Affairs Ministry to train women preachers, or Morchidat, who are now active chaplains to Moroccans across the globe.

Huge Influence over Muslims in Africa King Mohammed VI leads the largest African monarchy, with a population of 35 million. Besides political links, Morocco maintains strong spiritual ties with Muslims all over Africa. Morocco is the site of the tomb of a highly revered Sufi sheikh, Mawlana Ahmed Ibn Moham- med Tijani al Hassani al Maghribi (1735-1815 CE), the founder of the Tijaniyya Sufi order. The attracts millions of people from across the continent. Morocco is also recognized as a source for the through . Thus, King Mohammed VI exercises vast amounts of power and influence over Muslims in Morocco, throughout Africa, and the rest of the world. He leads one of the most stable constitutional monarchies in the region, which is also the center of a moderate, flourishing Muslim culture.

Patron of the Al Qarawiyyin University King Mohammad VI is the patron of the oldest university in the world, the University of Al Qarawiyyin, in Fez, which was established in 859 CE.

36 © STR New / Reuters

37 6 HIS MAJESTY SULTAN QABOOS BIN SA‘ID AL SA‘ID Sultan of Oman

Sultan Qaboos bin Sa‘id al Sa‘id, the 14th descendant Country: Oman of the Al Bu Sa‘idi dynasty, is a socially and politically Date of Birth: 18 November active monarch, celebrating his 40th year as Sultan in 1940 2010. Sultan Qaboos has revolutionized and modern- Source of Influence: Lineage, ized Oman, transforming it from a poor, isolationist Political, Development nation into a land closely linked with the African conti- Influence: Leader of 3.5 million nent and devoted to economic development, regional citizens and residents of Oman stability, and religious tolerance. School of Thought: Traditional Ibadi Leader of Omani Sultanate Rank: 2010:6 · 2009:6 Sultan Qaboos al Sa‘id reigns over a country strategi- cally situated in the Gulf region. Oman has a stake in the crude oil market due to the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf of Oman to the and the Arabian Sea, producing over 757,000 barrels of crude oil per day in 2008, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Historically, Oman is significant as one of the only countries with a large population of Ibadi Muslims and as the most authoritative state in the Ibadi movement—one that is recognized as one of the oldest schools of Islamic thought.

Beacon of Islam Sultan Qaboos has helped build or restore thousands of mosques at his personal expense, the grandest being the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, which can accommodate up to 20,000 wor- shippers. The Sultan is a discreet but strong supporter of moderate Islam and has created a unique Islamic culture in Oman that has carefully combined the best of traditional Islam with the benefits of the modern world. Sultan Qaboos has promoted culturally-specific Is- lamic dress, art, architecture and education, and is a keen advocate of environmentalism. This quiet, measured rise has made Oman a hidden pearl of the Islamic world.

Personal Leadership The Sultan has raised the Omani standard of living by building up Oman’s school and health care systems, infrastructure, and economy. He cites political participation as one of his major long-term goals. Within the last two decades, he has introduced political reforms including a bicameral representative body, a basic law, universal suffrage, and a Supreme Court. More- over, despite Oman’s relative lack of oil and gas compared to other Gulf States, the Sultan has invested his country’s wealth so wisely that all citizens are guaranteed free education up to the doctoral level (should they qualify); free health care; free land; soft loans for building homes; jobs and social security for the disabled, orphans and widows. Furthermore, unlike neighbor- ing countries, Oman has resolved all its border demarcation issues with all its neighbors, has no foreign debt and has a sovereign wealth reserve fund of over 30 billion Riyals (about $100 billion). Oman is thus arguably the best administrated country in the Islamic world, if not in the whole world.

International Leader Sultan Qaboos has been recognized by organizations such as the United Nations and the National Council of US-Arab Relations for his leadership in the Persian Gulf region. In 2008,

38 © Kevork Djansezian / AP he presided over the GCC Summit, where he was commended for his ongoing efforts toward political and economic cooperation amongst the GCC states. Sultan Qaboos has made an effort to strengthen ties between Oman and Iran, as well as the strategic partnership between Oman and India—showing the Sultan’s foresight in carving foreign policy independent of that of his Arab neighbors.

39 7 HIS EMINENCE PROFESSOR DR SHEIKH AHMAD MUHAMMAD AL TAYEB Grand Sheikh of the Al Azhar University, Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Mosque

Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad al Tayeb was appointed as Country: Egypt Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar in March 2010, after the pass- Date of Birth: 1946 ing of his predecessor, Dr Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi. Source of Influence: Admin- He was formerly the president of the Al Azhar for seven istrative years and prior to that, served for two years as the sec- Influence: Highest scholarly ond most powerful cleric in Egypt as its Grand Mufti. authority for a majority of Al Tayeb’s scholarly influence as a leading intellectual Sunni Muslims, runs the fore- of spans the globe. He has served as the most Sunni Islamic university dean of the Faculty of in Aswan, and the with close to 400,000 students theology faculty of the International Islamic University School of Thought: Tradi- in Pakistan. He has also taught in universities in Saudi tional Sunni Arabia, Qatar and the . Sheikh Rank: 2010:7 · 2009:25  al Tayeb holds a PhD in Islamic philosophy from Sor- bonne University.

Advocate of Traditional Islam Al Tayeb has emphasised his mission to promote traditional Islam since becoming Grand Sheikh. He has since issued decisions to teach all four schools of traditional Islamic thought at Al Azhar University, while stressing the importance of teaching students about Islamic heritage—considering Al Azhar graduates as ambassadors of Islam to the world.

Spiritual Leader of the Al Azhar University Sheikh al Tayeb leads the second-oldest university in the world, where teaching has con- tinued without interruption since 975 CE. Al Azhar represents the center of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. It is a key institution that issues authoritative religious rulings and has pro- vided extensive Islamic education to Egyptian and international students since its inception over a millennium ago. This history makes Al Azhar a bastion of Sunni traditionalism. The university is considered one of the most prominent Islamic educational institutions, and the foremost center of Sunni Muslim scholarship in the world.

Administers the Al Azhar Education Network Al Azhar is the second oldest, and currently the largest, university in the world, having risen from a group of three schools in the 1950s to its current state with 72 feeder schools, and close to 400,000 students studying there at any one time. Including schools that are part of Al Azhar waqf initiatives there are close to 2 million students. This immense size and grounded respect make the head of Al Azhar an extraordinarily powerful and academically influential person. In spite of his huge workload as president, and now as Grand Sheikh, al Tayeb pub- lishes regularly in numerous academic journals, dealing particularly with the reception of Islamic culture and philosophy in the Western world. Al Tayeb is also a member of the Egyptian Society of Philosophy, the Supreme Court of Is- lamic Affairs and is the head of the Religious Committee at the Egyptian Radio and Television Union.

40 © Amr Sharaf / AP

41 8 HIS EMINENCE GRAND AYATOLLAH SAYYID ALI HUSSEIN SISTANI Marja of the Hawza, Najaf, Iraq

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husseini Sistani is the Country: Iraq prime marja, or spiritual reference for Ithna’Ashari‘a Date of Birth: 4 August 1930 (Twelver) for Shi‘a Muslims. He is the leading sheikh Source of Influence: Scholarly, of the Hawza Seminary in Najaf, Iraq and the Lineage preeminent Shi‘a cleric globally. Sistani is one of the Influence: Highest authority most respected of the marjaiyya—the highest position for 17-20 million Iraqi Shi‘a, of authority in the Usuli school of Twelver Shi‘a fiqh. and also internationally as a moral and religious authority Preeminent Shi‘a Cleric and Marja Taqlid to Usuli Twelver Shi‘a world- Sistani’s influence in the Twelver Shi‘a sect stems from wide his scholarly lineage and education, which has enabled School of Thought: Traditional him to reach the status of marja taqlid—the highest Twelver Shi‘a, Usuli status in the Usuli branch of Twelver Shi‘a Islam. Marja Rank: 2010:8 · 2009:7  taqlid means literally one who is worthy of being imi- tated— placing Sistani in a position of great authority over Twelver Shi‘a Muslims. There are currently only 29 marjas worldwide. Sistani is descended from a family of religious scholars, and was educated in the leading institutions in Iran. He later went to Najaf, Iraq to study under the Grand Ayatollah Abu al Qasim al Khoei. On Khoei’s death in 1992, Sistani took over as grand ayatollah, inheriting al Khoei’s following. He soon rose to become the leading cleric in Iraq. With the recent opening of Iraqi to Iranian tourists Sistani is gaining a following outside of Iraq.

Financial Influence Sistani also has very significant financial clout due to his position as marja. As a marja his fol- lowers give him a religious tax (, Arabic for one fifth). The redistribution of this tax for the common good is one of the key roles of a marja. Much of this remittance is redistributed through the Al Khoei Foundation—the largest Twelver Shi‘a development organization in the world that maintains a network of educational and humanitarian establishments for both Shi‘a and non-Shi‘a Muslims.

Quietist Influence Significantly, Sistani is against the idea of Velayat-e Faqih, suggesting Shi‘a clerics should not get involved in politics. Paradoxically this approach has afforded him very strong influence as a religious leader unsullied by politics. This became clear after the Iraq invasion when Sistani issued a legal ruling (fatwa) calling on the clergy to guide Iraq’s populace, and later during the 2005 elections when he issued a ruling telling Shi‘a women that they were religiously obliged to vote. Ali Sistani has used his position of quietist authority to wield influence also as a peacemaker in the turbulent post-invasion Iraq. At a time when Sistani was losing support to Sheikh Muqtada al Sadr, he showed his sway by arranging a lasting deal between Sadr and US forces at the in Najaf in 2005—a deal that secured the Shrine and pushed for an American retreat. Sistani has been vocal about encouraging to participate in the 2010 parliamentary elections.

42 43 9 HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO President of Indonesia

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the politi- Country: Indonesia cal leader of the most populous Muslim country in Date of Birth: 9 September the world. Commonly referred to as SBY, he has had 1949 marked influence over the country as the first directly Source of Influence: Political, elected president of Indonesia and over the world as Development a champion of anti-terrorism efforts and a beacon of Influence: Leader of 241 mil- democracy in the Muslim world. lion citizens and residents of Indonesia Beacon of Democracy School of Thought: Traditional President Yudhoyono came to power after a success- Sunni ful career with the Indonesian National Army as a Rank: 2010:9 four-star general—when he was dubbed “the thinking general” for his efforts toward military reform. This reputation, and a pristine political career with the administrations of former Presidents Ab- durrahman Wahid and Megawati Sukarnoputri are the bases upon which the Democratic Party was founded in 2001. This new political party was founded on the pancasila or five basic principles (belief in the Oneness of God, just and civilized humanity, the unity of Indonesia, democracy, and social justice) with the goal of launching Yudhoyono’s candidacy for the 2004 elections. Since then, he has become increasingly influential as a beacon of democracy for a country historically marred by corruption and political instability. He was re-elected for a second and final five- year term in October 2009.

Popular Reformist Besides proposing military reform, President Yudhoyono has been recognized for his efforts to establish regional autonomy laws and resolve the separatist conflict in the Aceh and Papua provinces. He has also been credited for reviving the economy, and for his market-friendly approach to reform. He works closely with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to clean up graft and corruption in Indonesia. The resulting economic and political stability has been attributed to his unique influence and the power of his personal leadership. Force for Anti-Terrorism Initiatives Yudhoyono’s increasing popularity is also due in part to the sincerity with which he actualizes his promises to the Indonesian people such as the promises for anti-terrorism enforcement made during his 2004 election campaign. Indonesia has worked closely with Australian intel- ligence and security forces to quell extremist threats. In response to the July 2009 hotel bomb- ings in , President Yudhoyono has been vigilant about openly condemning the perpe- trators as agents of terrorism and simultaneously voices his dedication to establishing peace and security in Indonesia through programs that target education and poverty-alleviation in key areas where militants may prey on youth.

44 © Achmad Ibrahim / AP

45 10 HIS EMINENCE SHEIKH DR ALI GOMAA Grand Mufti of The Arab Republic of Egypt

Sheikh Ali Gomaa is the Grand Mufti of the Arab Re- Country: Egypt public of Egypt. He is the second highest Sunni author- Date of Birth: 3 March 1953 ity in Egypt after Sheikh Ahmad al Tayeb and one of Source of Influence: Scholarly, the foremost Islamic scholars in the world. Gomaa is Political responsible for the Dar al Ifta al Masriyyah, a leading Influence: Legal authority for institute for Islamic legal research, and the legal arm of 83.9 million Egyptians the Egyptian Ministry of Justice, which is responsible School of Thought: Traditional for passing official religious rulings. Sunni, Shafi‘i Rank: 2010:10 · 2009:9  Egypt’s Weight in Islamic Scholarship Gomaa’s scholarly influence is derived from his position at the center of many of the most significant institutions of Islamic law in the world. Before becoming Grand Mufti, Gomaa was a professor of jurisprudence at Al Azhar University—the second oldest university in the world, founded in 975 CE—Gomaa also served as a member of the Fatwa Council. He is cur- rently a member of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, the highest institute of Islamic law in the Organization of the Islamic Conference—an inter-governmental organization for Muslim-majority countries.

Personal Popularity Gomaa has become incredibly popular as a mufti since he began to appear on popular broad- cast and satellite television. Part of his appeal is due to the revival of the old Islamic practice of informal ‘knowledge circles’ at the Al Azhar Mosque, and very well attended Q&A sessions after his Friday sermons at the Sultan Hasan Mosque, where Gomaa makes a point of tak- ing on anyone who tries to simplify or distort Islamic teachings without knowledge of its traditions. This has made him extremely popular with those who are uncomfortable with extremism.

Popularized and Simplified Fatwas Gomaa has immense legal influence through his advocacy of Islamic legal rulings fatwas( ). Since he was appointed Grand Mufti of Egypt in 2003, Gomaa has modernized the process of issuing fatwas in the country. He has done this by overhauling the Dar al Ifta organization into a dynamic institution with worldwide reach, based on a fatwa council and a system of checks and balances. Gomaa has been outspoken on environmental sustainability—speaking in November 2009 about plans to make Medina the first “green” Islamic city.

Technological Influence Gomaa has authored over 50 books, as well as hundreds of articles. He now uses the Dar al Ifta to disseminate his scholarly opinion. His office issues some5 ,000 fatwas a week, with of- ficial ones on important issues written by him and the routine ones dealt with via phone and the Internet by a team of subordinate muftis. Gomaa believes that respect for traditionalism is growing in the Muslim world, partly because of the immense demand for fatwas issued by his office.

46 © Mohammed Al-Sehety / AP

47 11 HIS EMINENCE SHEIKH ABDUL AZIZ IBN ABDULLAH AAL AL SHEIKH Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

As the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah Country: Saudi Arabia Aal al Sheikh has the highest position of religious au- Date of Birth: 1941 thority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is an Islam- Source of Influence: Scholarly, ic scholar based in Mecca—the seat of Sunni Islam— Administrative and has influence as a leading cleric of the expansive Influence: Grand Mufti to 29 global movement of Salafi Muslims. million Saudis and the global network of Salafi Muslims Head of Sunni Jurisprudential Committees School of Thought: Salafi Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal al Sheikh is chairman of Rank: 2010:11 · 2009:11 the Council of Senior Scholars, a scientific consul- tative commission composed of leading Sunni specialist scholars of shari‘a (Islamic law). He has been behind fatwas that call for more rights for women and children. Al Sheikh is also chairman of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and fatwas (re- ligious rulings), a special committee designated for the researching and issuing of religious rulings on jurisprudence, Hadith, and Aqida (creed) for the Sunni world. As head of the Presidency for Scientific Research and Religious Edicts (Dar al Ifta), al Sheikh is often the spokesperson for controversial rulings issued from the Kingdom. He is recog- nized for his influence in enforcing a distinct view of Islamic tradition. In2008 , he pub- licly criticized Muslim televangelists who encouraged Muslims to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries—stressing, instead, that only the two occasions of ‘Eid and the weekly Friday observations are valid occasions to celebrate. In this, and also in his condemnation of Turkish soap operas sweeping the Arab World, al Sheikh has stressed the importance of eliminating distracting practices. He is also ardently opposed to the practice of marrying off very young girls to older men, emphasizing its incongruence with human decency and Islamic tradition.

Central Figure of Global As Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, al Sheikh is the leading religious figure of the Saudi-based network of Salafi Muslims. He stresses the importance of adhering to a literal interpretation of the scripture and following Islam as it was practiced by the early genera- tions of Muslims. The rulings derived by al Sheikh are based heavily on a literal reading of the Qur’an and emphasize the need to strip away innovative cultural practices that have become a part of Muslims’ lives across cultures. The movement he leads is characterized by an au- thoritative stance on Islamic religious practice.

Eminent Scholarship Grand Mufti al Sheikh is recognized as a leading contemporary scholar of Islam. He has lever- aged this influence by openly speaking out against Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda as forces that push a dangerous ideological terrorism. He spoke for the need for a war—to be fought by academics, the media, religious leaders and even parents—against deviant thought that leads overzealous Muslims toward extremism and violence.

48 © Hassan Ammar / AP

49 12 DR MOHAMMED BADIE Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood

Dr Mohammed Badie succeeded Mohammad Mahdi Country: Egypt Akef—who became the first Supreme Guide of the Date of Birth: 7 August 1943 Muslim Brotherhood to step down from his post—as Source of Influence: Adminis- the 8th Supreme Guide in January 2010. Badie is a pro- trative, Political, International fessor of veterinary pathology at Beni-Suef University Islamic Networks in southern Egypt, but has been elected due to his work Influence: Leader of a transna- with the Administrative offices, Education Association, tional movement in Egypt and and subsequently, the International Guidance Bureau across the Middle East, Africa, of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the largest Islam- the UK, and US ic political party in Egypt. School of Thought: Sunni, Leader of an Expansive Muslim Network Muslim Brotherhood Dr Badie heads the oldest and largest Muslim social, Rank: 2010:12 religious, and political organization in existence. The Muslim Brotherhood forms the leading opposition party in many Muslim countries and has branches in most of the Muslim world, besides its base in Egypt. Members of the organization can be found in Bahrain, Syria, , Israel, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Al- geria, Sudan, , , and , as well as the United States. In light of its expanse, Dr Badie is a strong advocate of internal unity within the Brotherhood as well as globally, between all Muslims.

Reformist Leader Dr Badie represents a conservative shift in the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood. Due to his background in education and religious conservatism, analysts predict that he will empha- size the Brotherhood’s social work, moving away from an overly political and activist program. Though he has been imprisoned in the past on multiple occasions due to political activities, Dr Badie stressed in his inaugural address the need for gradual reform based on dialogue and non-violence. This is seen as a response to recent arrests of Muslim Brotherhood members, and increasing pressure from the Egyptian government.

Head of a Leading Islamic Reform Movement The Brotherhood has historically advocated political activism and charity work with a dis- tinctive take on Islamic law, stating that apostasy should not be punishable, rather permitted as a freedom to all Muslims. With a firm belief that constitutional reform is possible in Egypt, the Brotherhood encourages Muslims to be more proactive in staking their claims to a more representative and more Islamic government. The Muslim Brotherhood’s mission of political activism and economic development in Muslim countries is meant to be an internal process, without the interference of foreign entities. What makes the organization’s work distinct and far more influential than other Islamic political parties is the emphasis on making faith a guidepost in all political endeavors and, importantly, neither a hindrance to political progress nor a deficiency. This has been both a source of massive support, and also criticism—critics saw that the use of ‘Islam is the Solu- tion’ as a campaign slogan took away from the Brotherhood’s legitimacy as a political orga- nization.

50 51 13 HODJAEFENDI FETHULLAH GÜLEN Turkish Muslim Preacher

Fethullah Gülen is a preacher, thinker and educator, Country: Turkey who having assumed the leadership of the Nurcu re- Date of Birth: 27 April 1941 ligious movement—started by Said Nursî (1878- Source of Influence: Scholarly 1960 CE)—has gone on to become a global phenom- Influence: Figure of spiritual enon in his own right. His popularity and authority in and social leadership for mil- Turkey has been the driving force of the movement that lions of Turkish Muslims and is widely thought to have brought about the social and, others around the world eventually, political changes of which politician Recep School of Thought: Traditional Tayyip Erdogan has been the ultimate heir—that is the Sunni enfranchisement of Muslim politics in Turkey. Despite Rank: 2010:13 · 2009:13 his peaceful means of preaching and community orga- nization, Gülen is hated by the secularist establishment in Turkey and has been living in the US since 1999.

Humanitarian Reformer Gülen and his followers have devoted considerable energy in recent years on interreligious dialogue with tens of interfaith centers in Europe and the US being opened to foster better relations between faiths. Gülen is also the head of a series of socially oriented philanthropic efforts. His teaching emphasizes that there are no material shortages in the world, and that there is no justification for starvation. Gülen has established many charities to distribute wealth to the needy.

Catalyst for Educational Change When Gülen began preaching in Izmir—in his youth—a network of pupils began to unite around his teachings—as a ‘social movement’ inspired by Gülen’s example. This movement has culminated in the development of around 300 schools in Turkey and hundreds more worldwide. Graduates from these private schools around the world are coached in ethics and philosophy that are inspired by Gülen’s teachings, and continue to take top honors in university placement tests.

Influence in the Media The Gülen movement has opened hospitals and charities, a TV and radio station, as well as a bank—Asya Finans—that operates on Islamic principles. Gülen also has two major mass- circulation daily Turkish newspapers that are affiliated with his movement: Zaman and the English-language Today’s Zaman. The Gülen network has also initiated a Journalists and Writers Foundation and a Teachers Foundation—providing an umbrella organization for a host of dialogue groups and charitable organizations.

Intellectual Gülen is one of the most important thinkers and writers from Turkey, and among the most effective activists in twentieth-century Turkey. The Gülen movement is one of the best con- nected and therefore one of the most powerful networks competing to influence Muslims around the globe, making it likely to have an enduring impact on the modernization of Islam and its engagement with Western ideas.

52 © Selahattin Sevi / AP

53 14 SHEIKH DR YUSUF AL QARADAWI Head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars

Yusuf al Qaradawi is an Egyptian scholar. Articulate Country: Qatar and widely read, he is one of the most widely com- Date of Birth: 9 September 1926 mented on scholars of Islam. Al Qaradawi is a founder Source of Influence: Scholarly of the website IslamOnline, one of the intellectual Influence: Leading scholar leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, and for global Muslim Brother- the most influential leader associated with the move- hood movement, host of ment since Mahdi Akef stepped down from his posi- ‘Ash-Shari‘ah wal-Hayat’ on Al tion as Supreme Leader in January 2010. Jazeera, the Arabic-language Leading Figure of the Muslim Brotherhood channel with 40 to 50 million Qaradawi is incredibly influential as an intellectual viewers worldwide leader of the Muslim Brotherhood—one of the most School of Thought: Muslim important modern movements in Islam. He has twice Brotherhood/Salafi turned down offers to be their leader—in 1976 and Rank: 2010:14 · 2009:9  2004—preferring to be free of institutional restric- tions. Qaradawi grew up and matured with the Mus- lim Brotherhood but has distanced himself from the movement in recent years. As early as 1997 he went out of his way to explain his independence from any organization, stating cate- gorically that he was not a member of the Brotherhood. Earlier in his life Qaradawi was jailed three times for his relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood and subsequently stripped of his Egyptian citizenship in the 1970s—driving him to seek exile in Qatar. The Muslim Broth- erhood remains the main opposition force in Egypt. Although he has no formal relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood, his writings make him an important intellectual figure in the Muslim Brotherhood movement.

Popular Influence Qaradawi is incredibly influential as a vociferous voice of criticism of the West and of Israel. Much of Qaradawi’s influence over the past decade has been a product of his forthright views on combating social injustice, especially concerning Israeli-Palestinian relations. His view that suicide bombing is a legitimate form of self-defense has landed him in trouble, especially in Western Europe, but is reflective of an underlying sentiment among many in the Middle East that oppression deserves such a response—however Qaradawi goes against the grain of most leading Islamic thinkers by supporting suicide bombing as a tactic of war.

Scholar for Modern Times Qaradawi’s ability to combine the traditional knowledge of Islamic law with a contemporary understanding of the issues that Muslims face today, has led him to become one of the best known and most influential contemporary Muslim clerics of our time. He uses a variety of means to connect with people. He is well known for his popular Al Jazeera program ‘Ash- Shari‘ah wal-Hayat’ (Islamic Law and Life) that is watched by an estimated 40-50 million people worldwide. Despite his popularity, Qaradawi is often criticized by fellow scholars re- garding his methodology and his occasionally unusual opinions. He does, however, continue to be respected as a knowledgeable scholar and has been praised for his condemnation of the September 11th attacks.

54 © AP

55 15 AMR KHALED Preacher and Social Activist

Amr Khaled has been a televangelist to the Islamic Country: Egypt world since 1998. Khaled was described as the ‘world’s Date of Birth: 5 September most influential Muslim television preacher’ by The 1967 Times Magazine, and ranked as the 13th most Source of Influence: Media, influential person in the world by TIME Magazine in Youth 2007. He communicates through his TV shows and web Influence: Most popular campaigns using as a way to inspire, and personal website in the world foster community development, tolerance and inter- with 20 million regular users; cultural relations. 232,219 fans on 79 Facebook Popular Media Figure groups; Approx. 2 million hits Part of Khaled’s influence derives from the fact that he on 200 YouTube videos appeals to the common person. He holds a degree in School of Thought: Traditional accounting, and has no formal religious education; he Sunni in a modern style wears suits and ties, not flowing robes; and has a clean- Rank: 2010:15 · 2009:14  shaven face except for a trimmed moustache—every- thing you do not expect from a Muslim preacher. His everyman appeal has led to immense popularity. Khaled’s television shows are broadcast by four Arab satellite stations but air primarily on Saudi-based religious channel Iqraa. Khaled’s speeches are published online, on bestselling cassettes and CDs. His website is translated from Arabic into nearly twenty languages and it rivals Oprah Winfery’s in terms of traffic.

Voice for Youth Amr Khaled is a pioneering Muslim preacher and effective social activist who is revered by many as the leader of a revival in the Muslim world, but his influence stems largely from the fact that he engages young people. Youth in the Middle East and North Africa face dispro- portionate challenges, such as unemployment and social exclusion—obstacles, which make it difficult to compete with development in other areas of the world. Faith is important to young people in the Middle East, but they do not connect with the majority of preachers whose teachings do not speak to the problems in their lives. Khaled is credited with the launch of the first “Muslim reality TV show” Mujaddidun on Television, where 16 young partici- pants from all over the Arab world compete over who can make the most morally-conscious contributions to their societies.

Community Development Khaled’s goal is to encourage community development in the Muslim world by its own peo- ple with religious faith as the guiding inspiration—something he believes should be linked to interfaith dialogue, tolerance and moderation. The break up of communities is something Khaled sees as responsible for the malaise in the Muslim world, and something he believes puts the future of young people in jeopardy. One program he has launched to realize this objective of community development is Life Makers, which has a stated goal of producing a renaissance for the Arab and Muslim world.

56 © Scanpix Scanpix / Reuters

57 16 HAJJI MOHAMMED ABD AL WAHHAB Amir of Tablighi Jamaat, Pakistan

Leader of the Pakistan chapter of the Tablighi Jamaat— Country: Pakistan a transnational Islamic organization dedicated to Date of Birth: 1923 spreading the message of religious conservatism and Source of Influence: Interna- renewed spirituality—Hajji Abd al Wahhab is a promi- tional Islamic Networks, Schol- nent Pakistani scholar with a significant following in arly, Administrative South Asia and the . Although the Influence: Leader of a Paki- organization does not have a central authority, Abd al stan-based organization with Wahhab has been increasingly influential in his leader- chapters in 120 countries, an ship of the throngs of Muslims that follow the interna- annual conference in Pakistan, tional movement in Pakistan and abroad. the Raiwind Tablighi Ijtima, which drew over 1.5 million at- Missionary tendees in 2009, and the Biswa As Amir, or leader of Pakistan’s Tablighi Jamaat, Hajji Ijtima conference in Bangla- Abd al Wahhab’s influence spans globally due to the desh that attracts approxi- organization’s emphasis on missionary work. Consid- mately three million members ered a foremost da’ee, or inviter to the faith of Islam, each year Abd al Wahhab has spoken about the need to return to School of Thought: Traditional the correct beliefs and practices of Islam in numerous Sunni, Hanafi countries and congregations. Rank: 2010:16 · 2009:15  Champion of Conservatism Abd al Wahhab urges Muslims to repent for their and to emulate the life of the Prophet Muhammad by adhering to the sunna—the Prophet’s teachings and deeds. Among these is an exhortation to partake in the act of da’wa or spreading the message of the faith. The Tab- lighi Jamaat has gradually acquired a massive membership base owing to this core tenet. Abd al Wahhab’s work is derived from close ties to the founder of the Tablighi Jamaat, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhelvi, and stems from the prominent Islamic institution Darul Uloom Deoband, in India, where the latter studied before establishing a following in Pakistan.

Mass Appeal Among the throngs of Pakistanis, diaspora South Asians, and others who carry the flag of the Tablighi Jamaat are notable Muslim leaders. In Pakistan alone, Abd al Wahhab’s influence has won the allegiance of prominent politicians, actors, and athletes. Despite his influence over key Muslim leaders from various fields of social power, Abd al Wahhab is consistent in his as- sertion that the organization is wholly apolitical—identifying the work of the Tablighi Jamaat as a spiritual revivalist movement.

Advocate of Non-Violence In light of heightened incidences of violence by fringe Islamic militant groups, Abd al Wah- hab has publicly stated the importance of non-violence in bringing people closer to the faith of Islam. This comes after the tragic Mumbai attacks which investigations found were linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba; a militant organization Abd al Wahhab has made a point of distancing the Tablighi Jamaat from.

58 Photographs of Hajji Mohammed Abd al Wahhab are not available due to the Tablighi Jamaat's strict prohibition of the use of images of people. This photo shows some of the millions of attendees at an Ijtima.

© B.K.Bangash / AP

59 17 SHEIKH DR MUHAMMAD SA‘ID RAMADAN AL BOUTI Leading Islamic Scholar in Syria

Sheikh al Bouti is the leading Islamic scholar in Syria. Country: Syria He is the head of the Theology Department in the fac- Date of Birth: 1929 ulty of Islamic Law at University. Al Bouti Source of Influence: Scholarly preaches very often and is highly respected by many of Influence: Leading scholar for the leading scholars in the Muslim world. In the past 18.4 million Syrian Muslims year, his influence has grown significantly in the Mus- School of Thought: Tradi- lim world and particularly with young Muslims. tional Sunni Traditionalist Scholar Rank: 2010:17 · 2009:23  Al Bouti is the scholar’s scholar, and the bulk of his in- fluence comes from his position of respect and authority among the leading thinkers in Islam today. Bouti has written close to 50 books that have garnered considerable critical acclaim.

Passionate Advocate of Madhabs Al Bouti is a keen supporter of madhabs (traditional Islamic schools of law), and is one of the leading critics of the significant movement to abandon these schools. He is particularly influential because this movement has led to groups in which extremist behavior is condoned as Islamic. Al Bouti has referred to the abandonment of madhabs as the ‘most dangerous bid’a [innovation] threatening the Islamic shari‘a.’ His view is critical because he says it gives indi- viduals without knowledge the ability to decide what is and is not Islamic.

A Critic of Salafism Al Bouti has considerable sway over the theological and legal merits of Salafism versus tradi- tional Islam. He has held important debates with leading Salafi scholars and has performed well, highlighting to his audience the importance of knowledge in Islam. In one of his most noteworthy books on this issue— in Islam: How to Understand and Practice it—Al Bouti shows how a poor understanding of the term jihad has led to its abuse by both Muslims and non-Muslims. His view is that those who are unaware of the basis of fiqh have manipulated the idea of jihad for their own benefit, underlining thatjihad must be conducted, according to the basis of Islamic fiqh.

Prolific Writer Shiekh al Bouti has made an impact on the Muslim world, in particular through his scholarly outreach. He writes for news publications and journals. He has also developed a reputation for his ability to address and respond to queries regarding Islamic jurisprudence, and per- sonal issues from visitors to his comprehensive website, bouti.net.

60 © Ali Jarekji / Reuters

61 18 SEYYED HASAN NASRALLAH Secretary General of Hezbollah

Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah is serving his sixth term as Country: Lebanon the third Secretary General of Hezbollah (the Party Date of Birth: 31 August 1960 of God). Hezbollah is a Twelver Shi‘a Islamic political Source of Influence: Political, party and paramilitary organization based in Lebanon. Development Hezbollah’s ideology is based on seeking social justice Influence: Main political through Islamic ideals. Political and military successes leader of 1-2 million Leba- have made Nasrallah a vastly influential figure in Leba- nese Shi‘a (45-55 percent of non, and in the Middle East more broadly. Nasrallah Lebanon’s population), wider and Hezbollah are also controversial; the US and Cana- support with the Syrian and da list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Iranian Shi‘a populations and those who support his resis- Military Power tance to Israel Nasrallah has immense importance in Lebanon as a School of Thought: Traditional figure of military power. He gained this influence by Twelver Shi‘a, Revolutionary leading Hezbollah during the time that Israeli forces Shi’ism withdrew from southern Lebanon. The withdrawal Rank: : · :  resulted in huge popularity for Nasrallah, giving him 2010 18 2009 17 increased recognition at home and abroad as a power- ful figure. Hezbollah remains a de facto security force in southern Lebanon, and its military presence is felt throughout the country, with a force of around 300,000 fighters.

Lebanon’s leading Twelver Shi‘a Figure Under Nasrallah, Hezbollah has gained in popularity and in political stature. As Syria and Israel have withdrawn from Lebanon, Hezbollah has begun to position itself as a Lebanese nationalist organization, with revolutionary Shi’ism as the guiding line. Nasrallah was edu- cated at the Hawza Shi‘a seminary in Najaf in Iraq, where he met Abbas Musawi, his prede- cessor as leader of Hezbollah. Nasrallah took over leadership in 1992 and has popularized the party among the Muslim population of Lebanon, and also among non-Muslims. Hezbollah has gained wide popular appeal by providing social services, health care and also running Al Manar—an influential television station.

Social Services Hezbollah has also won significant grassroots support by cultivating a social welfare system that provides schools, clinics, and housing in the predominantly Shi‘a parts of Lebanon, and also in others. These welfare activities are run with efficiency and rival those carried out by the state, giving the organization even broader appeal.

International Symbol of Resistance Against Israel Nasrallah has broader influence in the Muslim world as a figure of defiance against Israel. Israel remains a key issue for the Muslim world and Hezbollah’s aim to achieve social justice in Palestine is central to its activities. The military successes Nasrallah had in the late nineties are seen as the main factor for Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon in 2000. Moreover, the staunch defense put up by Hezbollah forces against Israel in July 2006 earned Nasrallah many more supporters. In February 2010 he openly criticized Arab states’ lack of involvement in the opposition against Israel, while at the same time praising Syria and Iran for their support.

62 © STR New / Reuters

63 19 DR KH SAID AQIL SIRADJ Chairman of Indonesia’s

Dr KH Said Aqil Siradj is the newly-elected leader of Country: Indonesia Indonesia’s largest independent Muslim organization Date of Birth: 3 July 1953 and one of the world’s most influential Islamic or- Source of Influence: Adminis- ganizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), or ‘Awakening of trative, Political, Education Scholars’. Succeeding former chairman Dr KH Hasyim Influence: Leader of approxi- Muzadi, Siradj guides millions through his work with mately 30 million members of the NU. the Nahdlatul Ulama School of Thought: Traditional Head of Expansive Network Sunni The Nahdlatul Ulama boasts an expansive network Rank: 2010:19 that covers 30 regions with 339 branches, 12 special branches, 2,630 representative councils and 37,125 sub- branch representative councils across Indonesia. This network practices the doctrine of Ahl as Sunnah w’al Jama’ah, which is Arabic for ‘people of the Sunna (practices of the Prophet Muhammad) and the community’. They base their practices on the traditional sources of Islamic jurisprudence—mainly the Qur’an, Hadith, and major schools of law. Among its aims are the propagation of Nahdlatul Ulama’s message and also an expansion of its already extensive network of members in Indonesia. This is the basis of many of the organization’s social reform efforts. With a solid structure of central and regional boards, branch and special branch boards, and various advisory councils, Siradj sits at the top of this increasingly influential Sunni movement.

Model of Traditionalism With a mainly rural membership base, the Nahdlatul Ulama distinguishes itself from other Islamic organizations in Indonesia by positioning itself as a premier organization of tradi- tional Islam—with an emphasis on education and political engagement based on Islamic principles.

Social Service The Nahdlatul Ulama has made substantial charitable contributions to Indonesian society in the fields of educational development, health care, and poverty alleviation. Siradj, like his predecessors, propagates the Nahdatul Ulama as an organization that is geared toward establishing a secular nation-state based on a body of modern and moderate Muslims—with agenda items such as anti-corruption laws and social reform measures that are deeply rooted in Islamic principles.

Human Rights Activism Prior to his role as Nahdatul Ulama chairman, Siradj served on Indonesia’s National Com- mission for Human Rights. Only a few weeks into his position as chairman of the country’s largest Muslim political party, and after violent clashes erupted in different churches across the country, Siradj made strong statements condemning the discrimination against Christian minority groups in Indonesia.

Educational Reform Siradj has an extensive academic background in the Islamic sciences, and regards education

64 as a tool for development. He founded the Said Aqil Centre in Egypt, a study centre that focuses on developing Islamic discourse, particularly in the Arab world.

65 20 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS SHAH KARIM AL HUSSAYNI The Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims

Shah Karim al Hussayni, also known simply as the Aga Country: Khan (Imamate: 1957-present), is the leader of the Shi‘a Date of Birth: 13 December sect of Muslims known as the Nizari Ismailis. For 5 mil- 1936 lion Nizari Ismaili Muslims the Aga Khan is the 49th Source of Influence: Lineage, hereditary Imam, with lineage descending back to Ali, Administrative the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. He is only the Influence: Approximately 5 fourth Aga Khan, a hereditary title bestowed upon the million Nizari Ismailis Imam by the Shah of Persia in the mid-nineteenth cen- School of Thought: Modernist tury. Shi‘a, Ismaili, Nizari Hereditary Leader of Ismailis Rank: 2010:20 · 2009:20 The Aga Khan derives his position of authority from his lineage. He has a direct line of ancestry going back to Imam Ali. For Nizari Ismaili Mus- lims this ancestry is directly attached to the idea of an Imamate starting with Imam Ali. How- ever Nizari lineage differs from the larger sect of Ithna’Ashari‘a (Twelver) Shi‘a. Twelver Shi‘a heritage derives from the younger son of the sixth Imam Jafar al Sadiq, whereas Ismaili heri- tage derives from the elder son. The Aga Khan’s influence stems from his obligation to lead the community and to find solutions to the ever-changing issues facing his followers. At the age of 21 the Aga Khan bypassed his father and uncle to become the 49th Imam, a choice that his grandfather made because he felt the community needed a leader ‘who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age, and who brings a new outlook on life to his office.’

Unparalleled Philanthropist The Aga Khan is also an influential philanthropist on the world stage. His influence on devel- opment is very significant and disproportionate to the size of the Nizari Ismaili community, which is one of the smaller Muslim sects. To fulfill the Imam’s responsibilities in the con- temporary world, the Aga Khan set up the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The AKDN is a collection of development and humanitarian agencies working in areas of poverty. The network is widely known for its architectural and cultural work, including projects that revitalize historic cities. These initiatives aim to show the greatness of Islamic civilization through projects such as the renovation of the Old City of and the Al Azhar Park in Cairo. The Aga Khan’s foundation maintains a strong and enduring presence in developing countries—building health care capacity, promoting economic development in rural areas and helping improve educational opportunities. The AKDN is particularly influential in Central Asia, where it works in areas that are often neglected by other organizations.

66 © John Amis / AP

67 21 HIS HIGHNESS EMIR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL THANI

Acceding to power in 1995, His Highness Emir Sheikh Country: Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is the 9th emir (also amir, Date of Birth: 1952 leader) of the state of Qatar. The monarchy of Qatar is Source of Influence: Politi- increasingly powerful as an economic force in the midst cal, Administrative, Lineage, of a downturn in surrounding countries, a mediator of Philanthropy peace, and a thriving emirate on the northeastern coast Influence: Political leader of of the Arabian Peninsula. Sheikh Hamad’s leadership is over 830,000 residents of Qatar marked by successful reform. He has made significant School of Thought: Moderate efforts to modernize the military as Commander in Salafi Chief of the Qatari Armed Forced. Sheikh Hamad has Rank: 2010:21 also developed strong international relations—Qatar hosted, and is now chair of the Arab Summit.

Royal Lineage The Al Thani family has ruled Qatar since the mid 1800s. The is traced back to the tribe of Bani Tamim dating from pre-Islamic Arabia. The mother of Prophet Muham- mad is a descendent of this tribe.

Economic Catalyst Qatar is the top exporter of liquefied natural gas, and the site of the third largest natural gas reserves in the world. Expansion of the country’s natural gas reserves was announced in 2010. During Sheikh Hamad’s rein, the country has developed one of the fastest growing econo- mies in the Middle East. Sheikh Hamad has also invested billions toward infrastructure, real estate and educational initiatives for Qatar. This year, Qatar submitted a bid to host the 2022 World Cup as part of a $4bn plan to build and renovate twelve stadiums which includes the installation of solar-powered cooling sys- tems. If granted this opportunity, Sheikh Hamad will oversee substantial infrastructural in- vestment in the country.

Humanitarian Sheikh Hamad has been recognized in Forbes Magazine’s list of the wealthiest royals in the world with a net worth of $2 billion. In February 2010 Qatar successfully sponsored a peace deal between the rebel Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese government— pledging $1 billion to reconstruction efforts in Darfur which involved establishing a develop- ment bank in Sudan.

Patron of the Arts Sheikh Hamad is noted for his love of the arts. In 2008, he inaugurated the Museum of Is- lamic Art in , boasting exclusive collections of Islamic artifacts from across the globe collected over a period of 20 years. Acclaimed architect I.M. Pei was commissioned to design the award-winning landmark structure on an island off Doha Bay.

68 © Richard Drew / AP

69 22 HIS HIGHNESS GENERAL SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan is the Crown Country: United Arab Emir- Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Command- ates er of the UAE Armed Forces, as well as next in line to Date of Birth: 1961 be President of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is Source of Influence: Adminis- increasingly becoming an important center for global trative, Development, Philan- weapons trading, with Abu Dhabi as host to one of the thropy world’s the largest defense expos in . 2009 Influence: Military and politi- cal leadership, with prospective Political and Military Leadership presidency over an estimated Sheikh Mohammed is chairman of the Abu Dhabi 4.9 million residents of the Executive Council—an executive leadership body in UAE Abu Dhabi, which is constantly engaged in the assess- School of Thought: Traditional ment of public policy. Since becoming Crown Prince in Sunni 2004, Sheikh Mohammed has been recognized for his Rank: 2010:22 · 2009:22 groundbreaking initiatives as an influential leader of Abu Dhabi as well as Deputy Supreme Commander of the armed forces. He is a special advisor to UAE President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.

Economic Development With Abu Dhabi sitting on a 10th of the world’s proven oil reserves, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan maintains immense political influence in the Muslim world as a leading member of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company—which directs development efforts for the UAE’s role in the oil and gas industries. In spite of the debt crisis affecting Gulf states, Abu Dhabi has emerged mostly unscathed. Sheikh Mohammed is chairman of the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED), which has been developing initiatives to boost entrepreneurship among youth in the UAE.

Humanitarian Sheikh Mohammed is noted for his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts in charitable giving. He has donated billions of dollars to various causes. December 2010 will mark the launch of a three-year project to establish a global center for health care research in Abu Dhabi through the World Health Care Congress (WHCC), under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed.

Sustainable Development Sheikh Mohammed has been a champion of sustainable development in Abu Dhabi as an advocate for the implementation of green technologies. He pledged $15 billion for the devel- opment of clean energy through solar, wind, and hydrogen power.

70 © Ho New / Reuters

71 23 HIS ROYAL EMINENCE AMIRUL MU’MININ SHEIKH AS SULTAN MUHAMMADU SA’ADU ABUBAKAR III Sultan of Sokoto

Amirul Mu’minin Sheikh as Sultan Muhammadu Country: Nigeria Sa’adu Abubakar III is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto. As Date of Birth: 24 August 1956 Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of Source of Influence: Lineage, Nigeria’s 74.6 million Muslims, who account for rough- Development, Administrative ly 50 percent of the nation’s population. Although the Influence: Central figure for position of Sultan of Sokoto has become largely cer- approximately 75.5 million emonial, the holder is still a central figure for Nigerian Nigerian Muslims Muslims. School of Thought: Tradi- Lineage Back to Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio tional Sunni, Maliki; linked to The Sultan of Sokoto is the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s the Qadiriyyah Sufi order by enormous Muslim community. He gains this position lineage by lineage. Abubakar is the 20th heir to the two-centu- Rank: 2010:23 · 2009:16  ry-old throne founded by his ancestor, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio. Dan Fodio (1754-1817 CE) was a scholar, leader of the Maliki school of Islam and the Qadiri branch of Sufism, and an Islamic reformer of the nineteenth century. Dan Fodio believed that Islam should have a more central role in the life of the people of West Africa and led an uprising to institute the changes he sought. His figure and his writings are a very important chapter in the in West Africa, and Abubakar, by lineage, holds a key place in West African Islam, and particularly for the Fulani and Hausa people who follow Dan Fodio.

An Illustrious Family The position currently does carry with it some weight—though largely ceremonial since Brit- ish colonial rule diminished its political significance. Much of this clout is derived from the respect that was earned by Siddiq Abu Bakar Dan Usman—17th Sultan and father of Abuba- kar—who held the Sultanate for over fifty years. The rule of Abubakar’s father from1938 to 1988 earned the position significant social capital and popularity with ordinary Muslims.

Administrative Power Abubakar holds important administrative influence in Nigerian religious life. He is the titular ruler of Sokoto in northern Nigeria and is also the head of the Nigerian National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. Leadership of this council means that the Sultan of Sokoto re- mains the only figure that can legitimately claim to speak on behalf of all Nigerian Muslims. This role has become increasingly influential over the years with a rise in inter-religious ten- sions between Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north and Christian-majority south. The late Sul- tan Siddiq Abu Bakar dan Usman was widely respected for trying to ease tensions between Nigeria’s Muslim and Christian communities, which tend to occasionally spill over into sec- tarian violence. Abubakar also possesses military experience in conflict areas.

72 © Anonymous / AP

73 24 HER EMINENCE SHEIKHA MUNIRA QUBEYSI Leader of the Qubeysi Movement

Munira Qubeysi is the head of the largest women-only Country: Syria Islamic movement in the world. It offers Islamic edu- Date of Birth: 1933 cation exclusively to girls and women. Qubeysi com- Source of Influence: Scholarly mands around 80 schools in Damascus alone, teaching Influence: More than 75 thou- more than 75 thousand students. She is one of the most sand students in Damascus significant Islamic scholars in the world; her movement alone focuses on learning the Qur’an and comprehensive Ha- School of Thought: Tradi- dith collections by heart. Qubeysi is arguably the most tional Sunni influential Muslim woman in the world, albeit in great Rank: 2010:24 · 2009:31  discretion.

Female Muslim Order At a time when clandestine meetings of Islamic organizations are proscribed in Syria, Sheikha Qubeysi’s network, the Qubaisiat, has legally been permitted to host classes and meetings in mosques since 2006—although they had been operating as a secret society for long before that time. Members of the Qubaisiat identify themselves, and ranks within the group, based on specific colors and articles of clothing—headscarves knotted at the neck, and overcoats denoting membership status. Women within the network are provided a unique role within Arab society as scholars and teachers exclusively catering to the needs of Muslim women; they provide an open forum to address religious questions and discuss religious issues.

Milestones in Islamic Education Qubeysi is influential as the leader of an incredibly successful educational movement. The religious education of women in Syria had previously been neglected so the emergence of a female-specific educational initiative has become very popular, making the al Qubaisiat, in numbers, the leading Islamic movement in Syria. Qubeysi’s students are also at the fore- front of a significant achievement in Islamic history in regards to education—no less than 70 Qubaisiat have memorized the ‘Nine Texts of the Sunna’ which include major canoni- cal books of Hadith with extensive chains of narration in addition to the entire Qur’an. By training this sizeable group of female scholars, Sheikha Qubeysi has made Islamic knowledge widely accessible, and is credited for the resurgence of Islamic education in Syria.

Leading an Islamic Revival in Syria Qubeysi’s influence in Syria is due to the fact that she has been able to develop a very large network of madrassas (religious schools) without attracting the criticism of the government, which has traditionally been dubious of large networks of Muslim organizations. The organi- zation follows traditional Sunni practice, and follows the Shafi‘i school of thought. Although member groups are found in Jordan, Kuwait and Lebanon, Damascus is the center of the revivalist movement.

74 Photographs of Sheikha Munira Qubeysi are not available due to the traditional prohibition of the use of images of people and her clandestine leadership of the Sufi group.

© Alaa Al-Marjani / AP

75 25 SHEIKH SALMAN AL OUDA Saudi Scholar and Educator

A leading Saudi sheikh, Salman al Ouda is a former Country: Saudi Arabia hard-line cleric turned advocate of peaceful coexis- Date of Birth: May, 1955 tence. He is increasingly influential due to his innova- Source of Influence: Scholarly, tive reach in the Muslim world propagated via Islam- Media Today.net and his persistent efforts ministering to Influence: Supervises IslamTo- the needs of the global Muslim community. day.net with 2,000 daily hits, 50 published books, numerous Key Scholar of Salafi Network television appearances that Sheikh Salman al Ouda is a leading scholar of the Salafi reach millions of people across movement. Although he is not noted for propagating the globe innovative ideas within the network, he has notable School of Thought: Moderate influence in the movement due to his use of multiple Salafi modes of education (internet, audiovisual media, and Rank: 2010:25 · 2009:19  print) to educate the large body of Salafi Muslims in the Islamic sciences. Sheikh al Ouda’s website brings together a diverse range of Islamic scholars and educators to provide guidance in Islamic thought.

Influence Through Virtual Islamic Resources Sheikh al Ouda supervises all content published on IslamToday.net—a website that offers vir- tual resources for Islamic education in multiple languages. His work has far-reaching impact in an age when religion is spread through media and technology, with IslamToday.net at the forefront of this trend. In response to a February 2010 ruling from the Al Azhar Fatwa Committee condemning the use of Facebook, Sheikh al Ouda defended the social networking website, stating that he uses it to communicate with Muslims across the globe and to provide Islamic guidance online. Sheikh al Ouda has over 4,000 Facebook friends and over 11,000 fans through the site.

Innovative Educator Al Ouda developed a following from weekly talks at his local mosque in Buraydah and has be- come an authority for Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide who access IslamToday.net—a Saudi-funded website dedicated to providing Islamic educational resources in English, Ara- bic, French and Chinese. He also addresses Islamic issues on the Saudi satellite channel MBC.

Advocate of Non-Violence In an effort to distance himself from alleged connections to perpetrators of terrorism, al Ouda is outspoken about the importance of inculcating love and mercy as opposed to vio- lence (except in valid cases of self-defense) in the daily lives of Muslims. As a prominent member of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, he led the delegation in talks with Arab heads of state regarding the need for them to unite in opposition to Israel’s siege of Gaza in early 2009.

76 77 26 27 Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza His Excellency Khan Qaadiri Al Azhari Colonel Muammar Barelwi Leader and Spiritual Guide Gaddafi Brother Leader of the Revolution of the Great Socialist Country: India People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Date of Birth: 23 November 1943 Source of Influence: Administrative, Country: Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Scholarly Date of Birth: 1942 Influence: Approximately 2 million Source of Influence: Political Barkatiya Barelwis worldwide Influence: Longest serving leader of School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, 6.4 million people in oil-rich country, Hanafi, Sufi founded large international da’wa coun- Rank: 2010:26 cil, Chairman of the African Union in a continent that is 45 percent Muslim Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza Khan is the School of Thought: Traditional Sunni leader of the Indian Barelwis and consid- Rank: 2010:27 ered by his followers as the Grand Mufti of India. He is the great-grandson of Ahmed Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is the3 rd lon- Raza Khan (d. 1921), who founded the gest serving of all current national lead- Barelwi movement in South Asia. ers and the longest-serving leader over his country in its history. He has been a central Scholarly Lineage figure in the life of Libya since he seized Mufti Akhtar Raza was ordained at the age power there in a bloodless coup in 1969. of 20 by his predecessor Mufti Mustafa Raza He is noted for his stature and longevity in Khan. He was subsequently granted per- global politics, global-scale da’wa initia- mission to lead the Qaadriya, Barakaatiyah, tives and advocacy of pan-Africanism. and Nooriyah Sufi orders in India. He was also appointed to the position of Muslim Missionary Chief Justice of India in 2006. Gaddafi founded the World Islamic Call Society (Jamiat al Da’wa al Islamiya) with Dynamic Mufti a significant endowment, making him Mufti Akhtar Raza is esteemed for his exten- one of the most influential people in the sive collection of English-language rulings, world for proselytizing for Islam. With an the Azharul Fatawa. He became involved in emphasis on activities outside Libya, the issuing Islamic rulings from the age of 17 WISCS also operates a state-run university and is noted for having issued over 5,000 for moderate Muslim clerics from outside rulings since attaining leadership as mufti. the Arab world. Spiritual Tradition Political Outspokenness The Barelwis are an apolitical Sufi com- Gaddafi’s open relations with the West munity based in a volatile region where and outspoken political rhetoric make religion has been used as a platform for vio- him a versatile world figure. While Gad- lence—despite this, it thrives as a socially dafi abandoned Libya’s nuclear program in engaged mystical movement. A missionary 2006 and has made vocal stances against movement, the Barelwis have spread their terrorism, he has also made sharp state- message within South Asia and also among ments about NATO, Israel and American diaspora communities. This group is dis- foreign policy. tinct from Muslims—who prac- tice a more conservative brand of Islam.

78 28 29 His Majesty Sultan His Eminence Haji Hassanal Mohammad bin Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Mohammad al Waddaulah Mansour Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Imam of the Zaidi Sect of Shi‘a Brunei Darussalam Muslims Country: Brunei Darussalam Country: Yemen Date of Birth: 15 July 1946 Date of Birth: 1917 Source of Influence: Political, Admin- Source of Influence: Lineage, Scholarly istrative Influence: Imam of approximately10 Influence: Leader of approximately million Zaidi Shi‘a in Yemen and Saudi 392,000 citizens of Brunei Arabia School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, School of Thought: Traditional Zaidi Shafi‘i (Fiver) Shi‘a Rank: 2010:28 · 2009:24  Rank: 2010:29 · 2009:26  His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah His Eminence Mohammad bin Moham- Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah is one of the rich- mad al Mansour is the Imam of the Zaidi est men in the world. He is the 29th Sultan branch of the Shi‘a sect of Muslims, one of one of the oldest in existence of the three main branches of Shi‘a Islam. today. Brunei is a country with a popula- With approximately ten million followers, tion of approximately 398,000 on the north Zaidis constitute almost half the entire coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast population of Yemen, and around 3 per- Asia. cent in Saudi Arabia. House of Bolkiah Lineage in the Imamate His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah descends from Zaidi Muslims are a Shi‘a sect named after the House of Bolkiah, which traces back to the followers of Zaid bin Ali, grandson of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth Sultan of Brunei al Hussein (grandson of the Prophet Mu- (who ruled from 1485-1524 CE). The House hammad). The sect was formed by the fol- of Bolkiah is the longest reigning Sunni lowers of Zaid bin Ali who led an unsuc- Muslim Royal House in Brunei. cessful revolt against the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al Malik in 740 CE. Administrative Influence Sultan Bolkiah has been lauded for at- Current Social Influence tempts at slowly democratizing the coun- In the past decade a Zaidi movement try’s governance, while at the same time known as the Shabab al Mumineen led consolidating royal authority. In the early by Hussein al Houthi has been gaining nineties Sultan Bolkiah began trying to prominence in the northwest of Yemen. strengthen the role of Islam through the This has stoked some sectarian rivalry in notion of Melayu Islam Beraja (or Malay Yemen, between the Zaidi and radical anti- Islamic Monarchy). The Sultan is also an Shi‘a groups who are fearful of the resur- important donor to the Organization of gence of Zaidi rule in Yemen. Al Mansour the Islamic Conference. has maintained his quietist approach and enjoys much respect in Yemeni society. Al Mansour was influential in stemming the escalation of conflict in 2005.

79 30 31 His Eminence Sheikh His Eminence Justice Abdullah Bin Bayyah Sheikh Muhammad Deputy-Head of the Taqi Usmani International Union of Muslim Leading Scholar of Islamic Scholars Jurisprudence

Country: Mauritania Country: Pakistan Date of Birth: 1935 Date of Birth: 1943 Source of Influence: Scholarly Source of Influence: Scholarly, Lineage Influence: Significant influence as a Influence: One of the most senior leading contemporary scholar of Islamic figures in Islamic finance, and a leading Jurisprudence scholar of the Deobandi movement School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, School of Thought: Traditional Sunni/ Maliki Deobandi Rank: 2010:30 · 2009:30 Rank: 2010:31 · 2009:27  Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah’s influence is Justice Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani derived from his scholarship and preach- is a leading scholar of Islamic jurispru- ing. Whilst he is not a Salafi, the Saudi dence. He is considered the intellectual government promulgates his fatwas as leader of the Deobandi movement. authoritative. He is an instructor at King Leading Islamic Finance Scholar Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah and is Usmani’s chief influence comes from his the deputy head of the Union of Muslim position as a global authority on the issue Scholars, under Yusuf al Qaradawi. of Islamic finance. He has served on the Diplomat boards, and as chairman, of over a dozen As a member of the International Islamic Islamic banks and financial institutions, Fiqh Academy or Al Majma’ al Fiqhi of the and currently leads the International Organization of the Islamic Conference, Shari‘ah Council for the Accounting and Sheikh Bin Bayyah is at the forefront of the Auditing Organization for Islamic Finan- legal arm of a dynamic organization with cial Institutions (AAOIFI) in Bahrain. He a permanent delegation to the United Na- is also deputy chairman of the Internation- tions. al Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organiza- In March 2010, he led efforts to convene tion of the Islamic Conference, one of the a high-profile conference of scholars in highest legal bodies in the Muslim world. Turkey which issued the 'Mardin Fatwa' Deobandi Figurehead against the misuse of a 14th century fatwa Usmani is very important as a figurehead to condone violence and terrorism. Later in the Deobandi movement—one of the that month, he joined scholars in a call for most successful of the Islamic revival- peace and reconciliation in Somalia. ist initiatives of the past century. Usmani Author was born in Deoband, India, to Mufti Mu- Sheikh Bin Bayyah’s scholarly explora- hammad Shafi (the former Grand Mufti of tions have gone global through speaking Pakistan) who founded the Darul Uloom engagements that draw crowds of tens of , a leading center of Islamic educa- thousands. He has spoken at length about tion in Pakistan. the endurance of the Islamic legal tradition and also written extensively on rulings for Muslims living as minorities in foreign lands, or fiqh al aqaliyaat.

80 32 33 Her Majesty Queen His Excellency Rania al Abdullah President Abdullah Queen of the Hashemite Gül Kingdom of Jordan President of the Republic of Turkey

Country: Jordan Country: Turkey Date of Birth: 31 August 1970 Date of Birth: 29 October 1950 Source of Influence: Philanthropy, Source of Influence: Political Women’s Issues, Media, Political Influence: Leads government of 77.4 Influence: Over 1.3 million follow- million Turkish citizens ers on , about 200,000 fans on School of Thought: Traditional Sunni Facebook and 27,000 subscribers on Rank: 2010:33 · 2009:28  YouTube channel; Queen of Jordan Abdullah Gül is the 11th president of the School of Thought: Sunni in a Modern Republic of Turkey and the first modern Style Turkish head-of-state from an Islamist Rank: 2010:32 background. Facing intense secularist op- Her Majesty Queen Rania al Abdullah is position to his political career, Gül has the wife by marriage of HM King Abdul- maintained a focus on democratic reform. lah II, but is also in her own right an educa- As prime minister, and subsequently as tional activist with global appeal. Through foreign minister, Gül pursued a pro-active sheer hard work, she has developed the foreign policy and largely succeeded in biggest virtual following of any Muslim in striking a balance between Turkey’s tra- the world, and she defends and humanizes ditional Western-anchored foreign policy Islam and Arab causes in-and to-the West priorities and its new interests in the Mid- as effectively as any Muslim scholar in the dle East and the Muslim world. world. Influence through Pragmatic Leadership Educational Ambassador Gül’s political influence in Turkey and HM Queen Rania is the initiator and key abroad derives from his ability to reconcile leader behind the launch of educational the demands of a predominantly religious initiatives such as the Jordanian Madrasati, electorate with those of the entrenched sec- ‘My School’, a five-year project for the de- ularism of the Turkish Republic. Together velopment of Jordan’s public school system. with Erdogan, Gül has worked to expand She is also the co-founder and global chair the sphere of democratic rights in Turkey, of the ‘1 Goal: Education For All’ campaign which in turn have benefited the predomi- which is based around the 2010 FIFA World nantly traditional and religious segments Cup and calls for the complete primary of Turkish society. Gül continues to play schooling of all boys and girls in the world a significant role in the current efforts to by 2015. find a lasting solution to Turkey’s Kurdish Intercultural Dialogue issue. Gül was also the first Turkish politi- Queen Rania has an amazingly popular cian to visit Armenia. YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/ user/QueenRania) and website (www. queenrania.jo). In April 2010, Queen Rania launched her children’s book ‘The Sandwich Swap’ (which made best-sellers list) through the United Nations Bookshop in an initiative to promote cross- cultural understanding among youth.

81 34 35 Sheikh Mohammad Dr Aaidh Al Qarni Ali al Sabouni Saudi Scholar Scholar of Tafsir Country: Saudi Arabia Date of Birth: 1960 Source of Influence: Scholary Influence: Prolific writer of over2 mil- Country: Syria lion copies of the popular self-help book Date of Birth: 1 January 1930 Don’t Be Sad (La Tahzan) Source of Influence: Scholarly School of Thought: Moderate Salafi Influence: Significant scholarly influ- Rank: 2010:35 ence as the leading contemporary authority on Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir) Dr Aaidh al Qarni is a prominent Saudi School of Thought: Traditional scholar, author, and activist preacher, best Sunni, Hanafi known for his popular self-help book Don’t Rank: 2010:34 · 2009:29  Be Sad (La Tahzan), which sold millions of copies around the world. Dr al Qarni has An internationally respected Islamic schol- over 800 Islamic audio lectures and is a ar of tafsir, or Qur’anic exegesis, Sheikh prolific writer and preacher for tolerance. Mohammad Ali al Sabouni is widely ac- claimed for his short commentaries of the Self-Help Icon Qur’an. Among the millions of books Dr al Qarni has sold, there are publications that center Popular Commentaries around self-help themes—a new trend in Al Sabouni is influential because of his the world of Islamic books. The best-sell- easy-to-read, simplified commentaries of ing Don’t Be Sad has become a foundation- the Holy Qur’an. They are now thought of al text in the application of Islamic prin- as some of the most popular short com- ciples as a remedy for the obstacles of daily mentaries in history after those of Jala- living. Other titles include, You Can be the layn, Baydawi, Ibn Kathir and . Happiest Woman in the World and The Key One of al Sabouni’s most influential com- to Success. mentaries is the Tafsir Ayat Al , an exploration of the Qur’anic verses that per- Popular Preacher tain to legal rulings. Formerly the imam and khateeb at Abi Bakr mosque in the city of Abha, Saudi Arabia, Traditional Authority Dr al Qarni has garnered a substantial fol- The Institute of Scientific Research and lowing through a preaching career which Revival of Islamic Heritage at the Umm Al spans various modes of broadcast media Qura University in Mecca, Saudi Arabia from audio lectures to a comprehensive commissioned al Sabouni to investigate website, alislamnet.com. He lectures at the ancient tafsir manuscript of Abu Jaafar mosques, colleges, and Islamic institutions al Nahas (d. CE/ AH). Al Sabouni’s 949 338 and hosts a weekly television show, ‘Our landmark achievement of verifying the History’, on Iqraa satellite channel. Dr al only surviving manuscript of the text has Qarni is a respected academic and Hafiz al come to fruition as a six volume work pub- Qur’an. lished by the university.

82 36 37 His Eminence Sheikh Sheikh al Habib Ahmad Tijani Ali Cisse Director of Dar Al Mustafa, Leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi Tarim, Yemen Order

Country: Senegal Country: Yemen Date of Birth: 1955 Date of Birth: Not Available Source of Influence: Lineage, Scholarly Source of Influence: Scholarly, Lineage Influence: Spiritual leader of around Influence: Runs one of the foremost 100 million Tijani Muslims centers for Islamic education in the School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, world Sufi, Tijani School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, Rank: 2010:36 · 2009:32  Shafi‘i Rank: 2010:37 · 2009:36  Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Ali Cisse is the spiri- tual leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi order. The Sheikh al Habib Umar bin Hafiz is well Tijaniyya is the largest Sufi order in West- known for his Prophetic lineage and status ern Africa, and its leader commands a fol- as one of the most influential Sufi scholars lowing of close to 100 million people, who alive today. His influence through scholar- see him as their guide to true Islam. ship and preaching is vast in Indonesia and East Africa. He is also incredibly influen- Leader of Tijani Muslims tial through his leadership of the Ba’Alawi Cisse is based in Senegal, however, Tijani movement. Muslims are located throughout Western Africa and further afield. As an order, Ti- Cultivation of Scholarship janis give allegiance to their sheikh giving Sheikh al Habib Umar founded and runs him significant influence as a leader. Cisse Dar al Mustafa, a center for traditional Is- is installed as Imam of the Grand Mosque lamic scholarship that currently hosts an in Medina Baye, which is one of Western array of international students, in Tarim, Africa’s key positions of . Yemen. He has joined the ranks of the world’s leading Muslim academics and Descendent of the Honorable Sheikh scholars as a signatory of ‘A Common Ibrahim ibn Abdullah Niass, Leader of the Word Between Us and You’, a document Fayda Tijaniyya (Spiritual Flood) that builds bridges between Muslims and The Tijaniyya is a Sufi order founded by Christians. He has also spoken at Cam- Ahmad al Tijani Hasani, an Algerian, in bridge University on the need for such a the late 18th century. As the spiritual leader dialogue. of the Tijaniyya, Cisse is considered to be the bearer of a spiritual inspiration called Da'wa Efforts the Fayda Tijaniyya, giving him authority Sheikh al Habib is noted for his da'wa ef- to carry on the teachings of Ahmad al Ti- forts over the past year, with sigificant vis- jani Hasani. Because of this position, some its to South East Asia and Australia. Tijani Muslims refer to Cisse as the reviver Humanitarian of the sunna. In July 2008, Sheikh al Habib Umar part- nered with Muslim Aid Australia as found- er of Yemen-based NGO Al Rafah Chari- table Society to address issues of poverty and hunger and lack of sufficient health care that affect areas of Tarim.

83 38 39 Khaled Mashaal Professor Dr M Din Leader of Hamas Syamsuddin Chairman of the Muhammadiyah, Indonesia

Country: Palestine Country: Indonesia Date of Birth: 1956 Date of Birth: 31 August 1958 Source of Influence: Political Source of Influence: Scholarly, Admin- Influence: Leader of approximately istrative, Development 1000 members in military wing of Influence: Over 28 million members in Hamas the Muhammadiyah organization, 5,754 School of Thought: Sunni, Muslim affiliate schools, and 5 Islamic universi- Brotherhood ties Rank: 2010:38 · 2009:37  School of Thought: Modernist Sunni Rank: 2010:39 · 2009:35  Khaled Mashaal became the leader of Hamas after the assassination of Sheikh As chairman of the second largest socio- Ahmad Yaseen in 2004. Mashaal is the religious organization in Indonesia, as well head of Hamas’s Syrian political bureau as a leader of the Indonesian Ulema Coun- and is the international representative for cil, Din Syamsuddin influences the Mus- the Palestinian resistance to the Israeli oc- lim world on various fronts. cupation. Social Welfare Fighter for Social Justice The Muhammadiyah is often described as Since becoming head of Hamas, Mashaal a social welfare entity. Syamsuddin is in- has seen the organization through mul- volved with the health and social welfare tiple attempts at a roadmap to peace and a efforts of the organization. The Muham- major Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip. madiyah runs numerous medical clinics and hospitals across the Indonesia. Pioneer Mashaal has been recognized for his per- Leader of a Conservative Shift sistence with Hamas’s efforts—at present Syamsuddin is vice general chair of the leading in exile from Syria. His determina- . His opposi- tion is combined with a unique effort at di- tion to religious pluralism has guided his plomacy. Mashaal has shown a willingness work, taking the Muhammadiyah on a to negotiate with Israel to return to the more conservative track, with an emphasis 1967 borders and grant Palestinians a right on ijtihad (individual interpretation of the of return, while importantly implying the Qur’an) and Hadith. necessary existence of the State of Israel, Advocate of Education despite Hamas’s historic denial of that pos- Syamsuddin has recently extended schol- sibility. Mashaal has been one of the most arships for students to study at the Mu- direct, and candid leaders in dialogue and hammadiyah universities in Indonesia. confrontation with Israel and this has gar- nered international recognition.

84 40 41 Maulana Mahmood Sheikh Habib ‘Ali Madani Zain al Abideen al Leader and Executive Member Jifri of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, India Director General of the Tabah Foundation, UAE

Country: India Country: United Arab Emirates Date of Birth: 3 March 1964 Date of Birth: 16 April 1971 Source of Influence: Scholarly, Political, Source of Influence: Scholarly, Lineage, Administrative Philanthropy Influence:10 million Muslims are Influence: Globally influential through members of Madani’s Jamiat Ulema-e- his teaching endeavors in Yemen and Hind across the world School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, Deobandi Shafi‘i, Ash’ari, Ba’Alawi Sufi Rank: 2010:40 · 2009:36  Rank: 2010:41 · 2009:37  Maulana Mahmood Madani, a leading Is- Tracing back his lineage to the family of lamic scholar and politician in India, has ‘Ali, the fourth Caliph of Islam and cousin gained influence for his forthright con- of the Prophet Muhammad, Sheikh Habib demnations of terrorism and unfaltering ‘Ali Zain al Abideen al Jifri is a leading Is- support of the Indian Muslim community. lamic scholar and prominent speaker in the Muslim world. Al Jifri is Director Gen- Religio-Political Heavyweight eral of the Tabah Foundation in the UAE, Madani has served as Secretary General of member of the board of Dar al Mustafa in the Jamiat Ulema- e-Hind, or Organiza- Yemen, member of the Royal Aal al Bayt tion of Indian Scholars—one of the most Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan, prominent Islamic organizations in India. and affiliated with various other interna- He has been outspoken in his opposition tional Islamic organizations. to the misuse of the term jihad as a tool of terrorism in India. Following fatal bomb Sufi Guide blasts in 2008, he and others of the Darul As a Ba’Alawi Sufi, al Jifri is part of a tra- Uloom Deoband institution hosted events dition that has been based in Yemen for condemning terrorism as inherently un- approximately 800 years and traces back Islamic. to the Prophet Muhammad. He is influen- tial as a Sufi spiritual guide in the Muslim Defender of the Faith world; and Dar al Mustafa is an influential As a respected political leader and Islamic Islamic educational institution in Yemen. scholar of India, Madani represented the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the esteemed Educator community of scholars from Deoband Al Jifri founded the privately-funded phil- when he addressed the Pakistani govern- anthropic Tabah Foundation for Islamic ment, and Pakistani High Commissioner Studies and Research in Abu Dhabi, a Shahid Malik in particular, in an open young non-profit institution that aspires letter regarding the commissioner’s re- to become a formidable source of reputable marks in December 2008 at the UN Se- work in Islamic research and thought. curity Council about terrorism stemming from ‘mullas in Deoband’. Madani is also a strong opponent of government interfer- ence in the madrassa system.

85 42 43 Sheikh Hamza Yusuf His Eminence Sheikh Hanson Professor Dr Founder of Zaytuna Institute, Mustafa Ceric United States of America Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country: United States of America Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina Date of Birth: 1960 Date of Birth: 1952 Source of Influence: Scholarly Source of Influence: Administrative, Influence: Leading Islamic authority in Scholarly a country with 4.6 million Muslims Influence: Grand Mufti of approxi- School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, mately 2.8 million Bosnian Muslims Maliki, Asha’ri School of Thought: Traditional Sunni Rank: 2010:42 · 2009:38  Rank: 2010:43 · 2009:39  Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson is the Mustafa Ceric is a guiding light for Islam Western world’s most influential Islamic in Europe and the leading Islamic authori- scholar. He is seen as one of the foremost ty there; he became Grand Mufti of Bosnia authorities on Islam outside of the Mus- and Herzegovina in 1993. Ceric is outspo- lim world, having spent a decade learning ken on interfaith initiatives in the Muslim at some of the premier institutions in the world and is considered one of the most Islamic world. He runs the very successful influential contemporary Muslim leaders. Zaytuna Institute in . Advocate of Cross-Cultural Engagement American Scholar In 2006, Ceric issued the ‘Declaration Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson converted to of European Muslims’ to the European Islam in 1977 when he was only 17 and spent Union stating that European Muslims are many years studying Arabic, Islamic juris- dedicated to the common values of law, prudence and philosophy with some of the tolerance, democracy and human rights, Muslim world’s most prominent and well- the value of life, faith, freedom, property, respected teachers. His popularity, and ac- and dignity. In May 2009 Ceric disregard- cordingly his influence, stem from the fact ed warnings of possible violent protest by that his application of Islamic knowledge is visiting Serbia and spoke at a sermon in the rooted in the lived experience of a normal town of Tutin about the need for Bosnian American. In his speeches Sheikh Hamza and Serbian Muslims to unite as one entity. is able to relate traditional Islamic teach- Peace Activist ings in a way that American Muslims find Ceric joined the International Religious easy to relate to. Advisory Council of the Tony Blair Faith Educator Foundation in 2008, committing himself Hanson is the founder of the Zaytuna Insti- to its mission of promoting respect and tute, one of the most well-respected centers religious pluralism through discussions on of Islamic education in North America. It social injustice. has been groundbreaking in combining cutting edge educational technologies with traditional Islamic education—setting the standard for Islamic education in the West.

86 44 45 His Excellency Adnan Oktar Professor Dr Authority on Islamic Ekmelledin Ihsanoglu Creationism Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference

Country: Turkey Country: Turkey Date of Birth: 1943 Date of Birth: February 1956 Source of Influence: Administrative, Source of Influence: Scholarly, Scien- Political tific Influence: Leader of an organization Influence: The world’s foremost author- comprised of 57 Muslim-majority states ity on Creationism and Islam, has a School of Thought: Traditional Sunni huge fan base of more than 1.6 million Rank: 2010:44 · 2009:40  people School of Thought: Traditional Sunni Ihsanoglu is Secretary General of the Rank: 2010:45 Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)—the largest inter-governmental Writing under the pen name Harun Yahya, Muslim organization in the world, and the Adnan Oktar has gained international second largest public organization after prominence as a spokesperson for cre- the United Nations. ationism but also garners influence from his numerous and extensively distributed Voice for the Muslim World publications about Islam, and Islamic chil- Ihsanoglu is also influential in that he leads dren’s books. He is vocal about his stance the only pan-Islamic inter-governmental against concepts such as Darwinism and organization in the world. The OIC often materialism and is outspoken on the ne- has more influence over certain issues than cessity to implement these ideas in the other organizations do, and can have a key West. role to play in world events, being more in- clusive than the and also able Prominent Pro-Creationist to tackle specific injustices that the United Oktar is a pioneer spokesperson for cre- Nations Security Council cannot. ationism in Islam. His most notable pub- lication is The Atlas of Creation which was Reviving the OIC distributed in Europe by the thousands. In The OIC has recently had a radical overhaul it Oktar elucidates the Muslim view of the of its practices, and aims. Under Ihsanog- end of times and Qur’anic proofs against lu’s leadership the organization’s remit has Darwinism. His extensive publications and widened from its previously staple issues views have won him 1.6 million votes on an of Islamic solidarity towards more imme- online Reuters Faith World poll conducted diate humanitarian concerns of economic by journalist Tom Heneghan in 2009 for and social deprivation around the Muslim ‘the world’s most influential Muslim.’ world, making the organization more akin to the United Nations in its work. In Janu- Leader of Scientific Movement ary 2010, Ihsanoglu called for the creation In 1990 Oktar founded the Scientific Re- of a Peace & Security Council as well as an search Foundation (Bilim Aratırma Vakf), Islamic Court of Justice to adjudicate be- whose members are commonly identi- tween member states of the OIC. fied as Adnan Hocacılar, or ‘Adherents of Adnan Oktar.’ Oktar is also known to have countless ghostwriters produce widely dis- tributed works on Zionism, Nazism, com- munism and Buddhism in his name.

87 46 47 His Excellency Mir- His Holiness Dr Hossein Mousavi Syedna Mohammad Iranian Opposition Leader Burhannuddin Saheb The 52nd Da‘i l-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras

Country: Iran Country: India Date of Birth: 2 March 1942 Date of Birth: 6 March 1915 Source of Influence: Political, Admin- Source of Influence: Administrative istrative Influence:1 million Dawoodi Bohras in Influence: Foremost opposition figure the world in Iran and leader of the Green Move- School of Thought: Traditional Ismaili ment School of Thought: Twelver Shi‘a Shi‘a, Rank: 2010:46 Rank: 2010:47 · 2009:45  Mir-Hossein Moussavi is an Iranian politi- Mohammad Burhanuddin Saheb is the cal figure who held positions such as Prime leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in which stems from the Ismaili Shi‘a sect the 1980s before he ran as a primary oppo- of Islam. As leader of the Bohras, he has sition leader in the 2009 Iranian presiden- been influential in the fields of education tial elections. and the development of community insti- tutions in Mumbai, India and across the Political Reformist globe. The heart of Moussavi’s influence in Iran lies in the political reform platform he ad- Absolute M issionary vocated in his bid for the presidential elec- Mohammad Burhanuddin Saheb was ap- tion in June 2009. He gained popularity pointed Da’i of the Dawoodi Bohras by his for promising less restrictions on the flow father who was the previous Da’i l-Mut- of information in Iran, as well as revising laq, or absolute missionary. Burhanuddin laws that he saw as restrictive for women. Saheb succeeded his father at the age of In his foreign policy platform, Moussavi 53. The Dawoodis are the main branch of advocated boosting Iranian national in- the Bohras, a Musta’li subsect of Isma’ili terests by reducing tension with Western Shi‘a Islam. The subsect is based in India; nations. although the Dawoodi Bohra school of thought originates from Yemen. Leader of the Green Movement ‘Where is my Vote?’ became the slogan Community Development of the Green Movement that gained mo- Mohammad Burhanuddin Saheb has been mentum in the aftermath of Mousavvi’s widely recognized by governmental and loss in the presidential campaign. Mil- non-governmental organizations for pro- lions of protesters went out to the streets moting peace in the world. He is noted for to call for a recount and ignited a violent the construction of numerous mosques, confrontation with the basij forces—under mausoleums, and community structures the Revolutionary Guard. Mousavvi has for the Dawoodi Bohras in various parts of since headed Green Path, an NGO which the world and particularly in Yemen. demands the implementation of the con- stitution and political reform in Iran.

88 48 49 Professor Dr Seyyed Sheikh Mehmet Hossein Nasr Nazim Adil al Scholar of Islamic Philosophy Qubrusi al Haqqani Leader of Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order

Country: United States Country: Cyprus Date of Birth: 7 April 1933 Date of Birth: 25 April 1922 Source of Influence: Scholarly Source of Influence: Lineage, Scholarly Influence: Written major books and Influence: Leader of sizeable worldwide given countless lectures internationally Sufi order School of Thought: Traditional Shi‘a School of Thought: Traditional Sunni, Rank: 2010:48 · 2009:47  Naqshbandi Sufi Rank: 2010:49 · 2009:49 Seyyed Hossein Nasr is an Islamic Studies professor at George Washington Univer- As Sufi master and leader of the Naqshban- sity. He remains one of the most influential di-Haqqani order, Sheikh Mehmet Nazim Muslim scholars in the world for his work Adil al Qubrusi is influential as one of the on Islamic tradition and philosophy. highest-ranking Sufi spiritual guides and traces his lineage back to the prominent Reviver of Tradition Sufis ‘Abd al Qadir al Jilani 1077( -1166 CE) Nasr’s work has covered the most im- and Jalal al Din Rumi (d. 1273 CE). portant areas of contemporary Muslim thought from classical Islamic philosophy, Stalwart Missionary Islamic science, Sufism, and critique of Sheikh Nazim’s travels have taken him to modernity to interfaith relations, Islam– meet with students and followers of the West relations, and the environmental cri- Naqshbandi Sufi order across the globe. sis. Nasr was the first Muslim scholar ever This order, which traces its spiritual lin- to be invited to give the prestigious Gifford eage back to Prophet Muhammad’s com- Lectures, which were later published as panion Abu Bakr, is one that practices si- Knowledge and the Sacred. lent remembrance of God. Sheikh Nazim has a great deal of influence with Muslims Islamic Environmentalism around the globe, having spent time with Nasr’s work has been ahead of its time in the Muslim communities in the former predicting the disastrous consequences of Yugoslavia, the United Kingdom, the Unit- the environmental crisis. Books such as ed States, Syria, and Uzbekistan—where The Encounter of Man and Nature: the Spir- the tomb of the founder of the Naqshbandi itual Crisis of Modern Man (1968), and Reli- Sufi order is located. gion and the Order of Nature (1996), narrate the rise of a secular, modern conception of Spiritual Guide to Royalty nature as inert matter to be conquered by Sheikh Nazim has ministered to the Sul- modern technology, and attempt to revive tan of Brunei, Sir Sultan Hamengkubu- a sacred notion of nature. wono X of Indonesia, and members of the Malaysian royal family. He is credited for the growing popularity of the Naqshbandi order, which reaches millions through his followers.

89 50 His Excellency Dr Abd al Aziz bin ‘Uthman Altwaijiri Secretary General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Country: Morocco Date of Birth: 3 April 1950 Source of Influence: Development, Administrative Influence: Head of largest Islamic edu- cational organization School of Thought: Traditional Sunni Rank: 2010:50 · 2009:50 His Excellency Dr Abd al Aziz bin ‘Uth- man Altwaijiri has exercised his influence by promoting educational development for OIC member states. Educational Influence Through his leadership with ISESCO, Al- twaijiri has engaged in work with Mus- lim institutions in Europe, Asia and Latin America. He has established the Supreme Council of Education, Science and Cul- ture, an alliance dedicated to initiatives outside of the Islamic world. Voice of Diplomacy Altwaijiri, as a spokesman for ISESCO, has categorically condemned acts of terrorism from the bomb blasts on a mosque in South East Iran to suicide attacks in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province in 2009. On US President Obama’s inaugural visit to the Middle East, Altwaijiri expressed his willingness to develop positive relations between the US and the Muslim world to- ward tolerance and the cause of justice.

90 RUNNERS-UP =

The following leaders are selected as runners-up from the 450 list for accomplishments in their respective fields that place them amongst the most significant Muslims in the world. They command influence al- most comparable to those in the Top 50. They deserve mention here. ELBARADEI, DR MOHAMED, EGYPT Political p. 107 Dr ElBaradei has been recognized globally as a contributor to world peace through his work on non-proliferation and nuclear power regulation with the UN. In the run-up to the 2011 Egyptian presidential election, ElBaradei leads a reform movement to allow independents to run in the forthcoming election. He currently leads the newly-formed National Association for Change, a non-party movement that calls for general reforms to Egypt's constitution.

FAYADH, HIS EMINENCE GRAND AYATOLLAH MOHAMMAD ISHAQ, IRAQ Scholarly p. 98 Grand Ayatollah Fayadh, originally from Afghanistan, is one of the four marjas of the Hawza Seminary in Najaf, Iraq—one of the two most important seats of learning in Twelver Shi’ism. Fayadh is known for his quietist approach to politics and is well-respected especially amongst the Shi‘a population of South Asia. It has been speculated that Fayadh is the front runner to succeed Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani at the highest position of political and patriarchal leadership in Iraq.

IBRAHIM, HIS EXCELLENCY DR ANWAR, MALAYSIA Political p. 111 Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician of global stature. He is the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, former finance minister and is currently the leader of the Malaysian opposition coalition. He is well-known for his liberal Islamic stance on politics, and is very influential as a leader and role model for young people. Ibrahim’s coalition now controls four of 13 state governments. If led by Anwar, it would have a fair chance of winning the next national election in 2013.

KHAN, DR ABDUL QADEER PAKISTAN Science, Technology, Medicine, Law p. 154 Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, deemed the father of the ‘Islamic Bomb’, is the scientist who brought nuclear technology and nuclear weapons technology in the 1970s to Pakistan which was the first—and remains the only—Muslim country to have nuclear weapons. This has has made him a figure of great international interest. He has continued to use his financial success and stature to improve the quality of education in Pakistan through building educational institutions for metallurgical engineering. Khan also may have had more far-reaching political influence through his alleged attempts to sell nuclear technology to Libya, Iran, and North Korea.

AL MAKTOUM, HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID, UAE Political p. 109 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is the Ruler of Dubai and the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. He has launched multiple charity initiatives from Dubai, such as ‘Dubai Cares’ which has donated over $910 million to youth education initiatives in impoverished countries since its inception in 2007.

MATTSON, DR INGRID CANADA Scholarly p. 106 Dr Ingrid Mattson is the director of the Islamic Chaplaincy Program and professor at the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, . In 2001 she was elected vice president of ISNA and in 2006 she was elected president, becoming the first woman and the first convert to hold such high positions within the organization. ISNA is the largest Muslim organization in North America, and is an umbrella organization for numerous local and regional Muslim societies and groups in the United States and Canada.

92 AL QADRI, DR , PAKISTAN Scholarly p. 103 Al Qadri is a politician, professor, and the founder of Minhaj ul Qur’an International Worldwide, an organization whose aim is to establish unity and understanding between communities. He is also the founder of the Minhaj Welfare Foundation that provides welfare for the needy. Al Qadri has authored some 450 published works and given more than 6,000 lectures on economics and political studies, religious and social philosophy, law and medical sciences.

RAMADAN, DR TARIQ, SWITZERLAND Scholarly p. 104 Ramadan is Europe’s preeminent Muslim intellectual writing about Islam in public life. He is a professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University and formerly a visiting professor at the Erasmus University in . He is the president of the European Muslim Network think tank based in Brussels and is an advisor to the European Union on religion.

SHAIKH, MOHAMMAD, PAKISTAN Preachers p. 130 Founder of the International Islamic Propagation Center (IIPC), a da’wa organization based in Karachi, Pakistan, Mohammad Shaikh is well-known as an influential public speaker. He has given numerous lectures on the Qur’an and also founded the English-language IIPC TV channel which broadcasts to viewers across the globe. He was ranked 4th most influential Muslim in the world in a public poll by Reuters in 2009.

AL SUDAIS, SHEIKH ABDUL RAHMAN, SAUDI ARABIA Qur’an Reciters p. 163 Al Sudais has international influence through his recitation of the Qur’an, which he memorized at age 12. Currently an imam at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, he has studied shari‘a at University, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, and Umm al Qura University. Al Sudais is also popular for his sermons and stance on peaceful conflict-resolution.

TAHA, UTHMAN, SYRIA Arts and Culture p. 158 Uthman Taha is an internationally acclaimed Arabic calligrapher. After training with the world's top calligraphers, Taha began working on producing copies of the Qur'an, or mushafs with the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur'an. Of the copies he has worked on, over 200 million have been distributed and are continually sought by students of the Qur'an and Muslims across the globe.

WINTER, TIMOTHY (SHEIKH - MURAD), UK Scholarly p. 104 Winter is Britain’s leading Muslim scholar, and also one of the most well-respected Western theologians in the Muslim world. He has written on various topics ranging from British Muslim history, theological discourse and social issues. Winter teaches theology at Cambridge University and is the director of Studies in Theology at Wolfson College in Cambridge. His advice is frequently sought on the issue of Muslims in Britain.

93

the lists 6. contentsWomen p.124 7. TheYouth following 450 leaders are categorized by their diverse p.133 fields of work and appear unranked. The Top 50 are only in the 8. InternationalPhilanthropy Islamic Networks and Issues of the Day lists. p.135

Scholarly9. Development p.137 97 These scholars, thinkers, and educators are well-respected leaders who have made significant contributions to the study and cultivation of Islamic knowledge and Muslim culture. Political 107 These leaders possess high positions of power over substantial groups of people and maintain authority from their elevated status, reputation, or political clout. Administrative 115 These agents of change are responsible for founding and directing some of the most influential and innovative global institutions—most often these are based in the Muslim world. Lineage 127 These individuals exercise influence in the Muslim world and global society by virtue of their lineage. They are from some of the oldest existing dynasties and thriving scholarly traditions that link directly to the Prophet Muhammad. Preachers 129 These dynamic preachers have become increasingly influential in an age of technology where uplifting sermons and lessons on Islam are presented to packed stadium audiences and millions of televisions are tuned in to satellite networks, and innumerable web videos are viewed multiple times a day across the world. Women’s Issues 133 These women have been trailblazers in their respective fields, often being the first in breaking social boundaries. Youth 139 These activists have garnered influence in the fields of youth work and education, as young and pioneering leaders in various fields. Philanthropy 141 These philanthropists have used their wealth and goodwill towards affecting the world through charitable giving across the globe, thereby alleviating the key crises of the day. Development 143 These organizers have dedicated their lives to civic engagement, community work, activism and conflict resolution to influence communities through policy change, governance, and advocacy for sustainable development. Science, Technology, Medicine, Law 153 Scientific and technological innovation is key to the impact of these leaders who influence the world. The Muslim world also boasts historic and contemporary advancements in the field of medicine and the implementation, and often reform, of systems of law. These leaders are catalysts behind many of these developments. Arts and Culture 157 These are artists and cultural ambassadors whose work has become part of people’sp.1 dailyintroduction lives throughout the globe. Qtheur’an diversity Reciters of islam p.4163 The recitation of Qur’an is a special art that is valued by Muslim communities across the world. The word Qur’an literally means ‘the recitation’ referring to itstop origins 50as an oral text. These are the 12 most popular Qur’an recitersp. among19 different communities around the world. honorable mention p.85 Media 165 In an age of impulsive news and innovative media, these personalities have garneredthe influence lists from their use of media organizations or from their p.popularity87 as commentators on life. lists contents p.88 Radicals 169 These infamous individuals are often cited for heinous acts and controversial statements made from their platforms of authority. International1. Scholarly Islamic Networks p.90171 These leading movements in the Muslim world command a huge following and the 2. Political p.103 individuals leading them are globally significant for their ability to affect change on an institutional level. 3. Administrative p.112 Issues of the Day 175 Within4. theL ineagepast year the world has witnessed natural disasters, internationalp.123 political developments, environmental crises, destructions and revolutions. These are the5. key P figuresreachers that have been exceedingly influential on these issues. p.124 SCHOLARLY

Middle East and North Africa cherif, h.e. ambassador prof. dr mustafa Mustafa Cherif, a former ambassador of Algeria to Egypt, is a philosopher and researcher specializing in international relations and dialogue between cultures. Co-founder and co-chair of the Muslim Christian Friendship in France and the Mediterranean, Cherif has written numerous works on religion, civilization and dialogue between cultures.

BAHRAIN yaquby, nizam Nizam Yaquby is one of the most respected scholars of Islamic finance and sits on many advisory boards including HSBC Amanah. A highly sought-after expert with an immense breadth of experience with the Muslim community, Yaquby received the Annual Islamic Finance Summit’s Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance Award.

EGYPT al ‘awa, sheikh dr mohammed salim Mohammed Salim is the secretary general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and the head of the Egyptian Association for Culture and Dialogue. He is also a founder of Egypt’s moderate Islamic political party Al Wasat and regularly appears on Egyptian television and on the Al Jazeera channel.

IRAN amoli, his eminence grand ayatollah abdullah jawadi Grand Ayatollah Amoli is a leading theologian and interpreter of the Qur’an. He is a prolific scholar having published over 300 articles and books. He is most well-known for his commentary of the Qur’an the Tafsir al Tasnim, which has been lauded by his peers. Amoli has remained a very public figure throughout his career, having led a diplomatic mission to the USSR, and continues to speak publicly on current affairs. damad, his eminence ayatollah prof. dr seyyed mostafa mohaghegh Damad is one of the very few high-level clerics in Iran to have been educated in international law in the West. Damad is a forceful advocate for a more progressive interpretation of shari‘a. He is a very well-respected scholar, dean of the Department of Islamic Studies at The Academy of Sciences of Iran, and a professor of Law and Islamic Philosophy at Tehran University. shirazi, his eminence grand ayatollah nasir makarim Grand Ayatollah Shirazi is a leading theologian teaching at the seminary in Qom, one of the two most important centers of learning for Twelver Shi‘a. He is most influential for his Tafsir al Amthal, which is a very popular simplified commentary of the Qur’an. He has also spearheaded the creation of schools and magazines devoted to young people. soroush, abdolkarim Soroush is a well-known figure in the religious intellectual movement in Iran. His writings were essential reading during the time of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, though they have since become more important outside Iran than inside it. Soroush remains a public intellectual who criticizes the Iranian government from a modernist religious perspective.

97 Scholarly

IRAQ fayadh, his eminence grand ayatollah mohammad ishaq Grand Ayatollah Fayadh, originally from Afghanistan, is one of the four marjas of the Hawza Seminary in Najaf, Iraq—one of the two most important seats of learning in Twelver Shi’ism. Fayadh is known for his quietist approach to politics and is well-respected especially amongst the Shi‘a population of South Asia. It has been speculated that Fayadh is the frontrunner to succeed Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani at the highest position of political and patriarchal leadership in Iraq. hakim, his eminence grand ayatollah mohammed said Grand Ayatollah Hakim is one of the four marjas of the Hawza Seminary in Najaf, Iraq, and accordingly is one of Iraq’s most important Shi‘a clerics. His family is very prominent in Iraq, holding key positions in Shi‘a social and religious organizations and also in government. Hakim leads around 5 percent of the Iraqi Shi‘a population. His influence stems partly from his relationship to Grand Ayatollah Mohsen al Hakim, a former religious leader of the Twelver Shi‘a in Iraq. al najafi, dr al sheikh ali bashir [new] Sheikh al Najafi is the son of Grand Ayatollah Bashir al Najafi and a leading Shi‘a scholar in Iraq. He often represents the Hawza Seminary at international conferences and serves as the spokesman of the Grand Ayatollahs, who traditionally refrain from addressing the media individually. al najafi, his eminence grand ayatollah bashir Grand Ayatollah Bashir al Najafi is one of the four marjas of the Hawza Seminary in Najaf, Iraq, and one of Iraq’s most powerful Shi‘a clerics. As a marja of the Hawza in Najaf, Iraq’s premier Shi‘a institution, Najafi holds a position of immense authority. Najafi, originally from Pakistan, holds less sway amongst Iraq’s population than the other marjas but has significant clout in South Asia. al sadr, his eminence ayatollah al faqih seyyed hussein ismail Ayatollah al Faqih Seyyed Hussein Ismail al Sadr is the most senior Shi‘a cleric in Baghdad, Iraq. He heads the Ayatollah Seyyed Hussain Ismail al Sadr Foundation Trust, which runs humanitarian, development, and peace and reconciliation projects in Iraq. His role as a social leader and humanitarian has increased significantly during the recent hostilities in Iraq.

JORDAN khasawneh, his eminence sheikh abdul karim [new] Sheikh Khasawneh was appointed by royal decree to the post of grand mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in February 2010, upon the resignation of the former grand mufti, Sheikh Dr Nuh Ali Salman al Qudah. Sheikh Khasawneh is the former mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces. al qudah, his eminence sheikh dr nuh ali salman Sheikh al Qudah is the former grand mufti of Jordan and maintains influence in legal and religious circles. He has held other notable positions in the past including Chief Islamic Justice of Jordan. He is also formerly a religious leader in the Jordanian army with the rank of Major General in 1992.

LEBANON Qabbani, His Eminence Dr Mohammad Rashid Mohammad Rashid Qabbani is the grand mufti of Lebanon and hence the country’s leading Sunni scholar. Qabbani speaks out regularly against sectarianism and violence.

MOROCCO abdul-rahman, prof. dr taha Abdul-Rahman is a Moroccan philosopher famous for his work in trying to create an ethical humanistic modernism on the basis of the ethics and values of Islam. He has taught logic in Muhammad V University for over 30 years. Abdul-Rahman has won the Moroccan Book Prize twice, and was awarded the ISESCO Prize for Islamic Philosophy in 2006. He is the president of the Wisdom Circle of Thinkers, Morocco, and a member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.

98 Scholarly

PALESTINE al tamimi, his eminence justice sheikh dr tayseer rajab Al Tamimi is a leading scholar and chief Islamic justice of Palestine. Popular as an outspoken thinker and leader on Palestinian-Israeli relations, al Tamimi is the head of the Palestinian Center for Religion and Civilization Dialogue.

SAUDI ARABIA al saffar, hasan musa Hasan Musa al Saffar is a Saudi Shi‘a reformist leader who has made significant progress in communicating with Salafi leaders and other senior officials in Saudi Arabia. This is important as sectarian tensions throughout the Muslim world have risen with the increased Sunni-Shi‘a hostilities in Iraq.

SYRIA hassoun, his eminence sheikh dr ahmad badr al din Hassoun has been the grand mufti of the Republic of Syria since 2004 when he succeeded the late Sheikh . He is an advocate of interfaith dialogue, and is very vocal in his opinion that states should be ruled on a civil rather than religious basis, believing that secularism is not synonymous with atheism, a sentiment that holds great sway in Syria’s religiously diverse society. itr, sheikh dr nur al din [new] Sheikh Dr Nur al Din Itr is an Al Azhar-trained sheikh based in Syria. A leading scholar of the Qur’anic sciences and Hadith, he maintains a key position in the world of Muslim scholarship. He is credited for participating in an incredibly successful educational movement out of Damascus: The Qubaisiat, a female-only Sufi network which is the leading Islamic movement in Syria—with Sheikh Itr as the principal instructor. He is credited for driving a significant achievement in Islamic history in regards to education—no less than 70 Qubaisiat have memorized the ‘Nine Texts of the Sunna’ which include major canonical books of Hadith with extensive chains of narration in addition to the entire Qur’an. al-zuhayli, dr prof. sheikh wahba mustafa [new] Dr al-Zuhayli is a leading scholar of Islamic law and legal theory and is noted for his extensive scholarship. He is also considered an expert on Islamic international law and is chairman of Islamic jurisprudence at the College of Shari‘a at Damascus University. Al-Zuhayli is a popular preacher and a proponent of traditional orthodox Sunni Islam.

TUNISIA ennaifer, h’mida Ennaifer is a key player in worldwide efforts towards better Muslim-Christian relations. He is a lecturer in Muslim theology at the Higher Institute of Theology at the Zeituna University in Tunisia. He is also the president of the Islamic-Christian Research Group. Ennaifer’s interfaith work centers on theological similarities between Islam and Christianity.

Southern Africa SOUTH AFRICA desai, mufti ebrahim [new] A prominent Deobandi sheikh, Mufti Desai runs askimam.org, issuing numerous fatwas online through the Camperdown-based Islamic institution Darul Iftaa, Madrassah Inaamiyyah where he is the principle mufti and a senior lecturer. hendricks, sheikh seraj Hendricks is the mufti of Cape Town and imam and teacher at the Mosque. He is a leading scholar on Sufism in South Africa, and a patron of Publications. Hendricks is seen as one

99 Scholarly

of the highest authorities on Islamic scholarship for South Africa’s large and affluent Muslim population.

East Africa ETHIOPIA idris, his eminence hajji Omar Idris is a mufti and leader in Ethiopian Muslim politics. A proponent of Muslim unity, he is the current chair of the Addis Ababa Majlis and also the chair of the Addis Ababa Ulema Unity Forum.

KENYA mazrui, dr ali al’amin [new] Dr Mazrui is a prominent scholar of African and Islamic studies and an outspoken commentator on Islam. Noted for his stance on the applicability of shari‘a law within a democratic system and his denunciations of violence in the name of religion, he is a widely-respected academic. A prolific writer, Dr Mazrui is an Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and the Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies at the State University of New York at Binghamton.

UGANDA mamdani, mahmood Mamdani is the Herbert Lehman Professor of Government in the Departments of Anthropology and Political Science at in the United States. Mamdani is also the director of Columbia’s Institute of African Studies. He is a former president of the Council for Development of Social Research in Africa in Dakar, Senegal. Mamdani is well-known for his book Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror, which became significant in liberal policy circles in the US.

West Africa dokori, dr abu bakr Abu Bakr Dokori is the president of the Islamic University of Ouagadougu. He is a major scholar and advisor to the president. Dokori is also Burkina Faso’s representative to ISESCO. He is one of the leading Muslim scholars in a country with around 8 million Muslims.

GAMBIA jah, his excellency ambassador prof. dr omar Jah is an important figure in the Muslim community of Gambia and in Gambian scholarship on Islam. Jah was the former Gambian ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He is now the secretary of the Muslim Scholars Council, Gambia, and a professor of Islamic Civilization and Thought at the University of Gambia where he is the dean of the humanities faculty.

NIGERIA ahmed, dr ibrahim datti [new] Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed is the president-general of the Supreme Council for Shari‘a in Nigeria (SCSN). The SCSN is the focal Islamic religious institution that deals with shari‘a in Nigeria, and is also a representative body of Nigeria’s Muslim scholars. Recently, the SCSN has petitioned for fair treatment of Muslim military officers and has spoken out against prejudice and violence against Muslims, especially in light of the violent clashes between Christians and Muslims near the city of Jos in January 2010.

100 Scholarly

Asia AZERBAIJAN ibrahimoglu, ilgar Ibrahimoglu is a charismatic young Islamic scholar and human rights activist who is the head of a pro-Iranian Shi‘a congregation in Baku and Azerbaijan’s Center for Freedom of Conscience and Worship. Ibrahimoglu received his religious education in Qom, Iran, but also studied human rights in Poland. This combination of Islamic and secular education is attractive for a population that was only recently part of the Soviet Union. pashazade, sheikh ul islam haji allahshukur hummat Pashazade is not only the grand mufti of Azerbaijan, but also the mufti by election of the whole Caucasus region. Pashazade is also the world’s only Sunni-Shi‘a grand mufti, giving each group fatwas according to their relevant madhab, reflecting Azerbaijan’s Sunni-Shi‘a mix.

BRUNEI bin juned, his eminence dr ustaz haji awang abd aziz Bin Juned is the state mufti of Brunei and a well-respected scholar that advises the government and the royal family on matters of faith.

INDIA engineer, asghar ali Engineer is a Dawoodi Bohra Ismaili. He is the leader of the progressive Dawoodi Bohra movement and a prominent Islamic scholar who is famous for his take on Islam and contemporary issues. Engineer has written many books and published articles in many international journals. He is the founding chairman of the Asian Muslim Action Network, and of the Institute of Islamic Studies, and the Center for the Study of Society and Secularism. qaudri, professor sayid ameen mian [2009:44] Professor Sayid Ameen Mian Qaudri is leader of the Indian Barelwis and a sajjada nashin, or Sufi disciple of the Barkatiya Sufi tradition which stems from the Qadiriyyah tradition of eminent Sufi master, ‘Abd al Qadir al Jilani (1077-1166 CE). Qaudri is also a professor of language at India’s esteemed Aligarh Muslim University. sadiq, maulana kalbe [new] Sadiq is a well-known scholar of Shi‘a Islam. His aim is to break down the existing barriers between Hindus and Muslims in India. Currently, Sadiq is also the vice president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, focused on shari‘a law in India.

INDONESIA baswedan, anies [new] Baswedan was named one of the World’s 100 Public Intellectuals in 2008 by Foreign Policy Magazine, as well as Young Global Leader 2009 by the World Economic Forum. Baswedan is the youngest university rector in Indonesia. In 2007, he was selected as rector of Paramadina University which was founded by the prominent Muslim scholar, Nurcholis Madjid. Besides his role as a political analyst in Indonesian media, Baswedan has frequently joined international seminars and written papers for scientific journals, especially in the United States. He is also the research director at The Indonesian Institute Center for Public Policy Analysis in Jakarta. gymnastiar, abdullah ‘aa gym’ [2009:48] Abdullah Gymnastiar, more commonly known as Aa Gym (Elder Brother), is Indonesia’s most popular preacher. With his style of modern, youthful, enjoyable preaching he has built a substantial following and a media empire. He maintains a regular audience of over 80 million with an approval rating of close to 90 percent. Gymnastiar is both preacher and performer; he is an attractive and charismatic young man, he makes jokes, tells stories and then sings (religious songs) accompanied by lights, dry ice, and a band.

101 Scholarly

maarif, syafii Maarif is one of Indonesia’s most famous scholars whose political comments regularly attract significant attention. This former president of the influential Muhammadiyah organization is actively involved in the interfaith and peace movements both domestically and internationally, largely through his Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity. Maarif is also a professor of history at the National University of Yogyakarta, and a productive author and columnist, currently writing two regular columns in ‘Republika’ newspaper and also in Gatra Magazine.

MALAYSIA al akiti, dr muhammad afifi [new] Dr Muhammad Afifi al Akiti is a briliant young scholar, a trained theologian and philologist. He is a lecturer of Islamic studies with the Faculty of Theology at Oxford University, a KFAS Fellow in Islamic Studies, and a fellow at Worcester College. He is internationally acclaimed for his 2005 fatwa, ‘Defending the transgressed by censuring the reckless against the killing of civilians’ written in response to the 7 July bombings, which was praised by scholars of Islam and gained a massive readership on the internet.

al attas, dr syed muhammad naquib [new] Dr al Attas is considered by many to be a scholar giant in the Muslim world. An influential philosopher and thinker, he is well-written on the traditional Islamic sciences as well as sufism, metaphysics, and philosophy. He has served at various global academic institutions as an educator and lead administrator and is also a noted calligrapher. kamali, prof. dr mohammad Kamali is the world’s leading expert and author on comparative studies between Islamic and modern law. He is one of the most prolific producers of quality scholarship on Islam in the world today. Originally from Afghanistan, Kamali is a dean and professor at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) and the International Islamic University in Malaysia. Kamali is also the current Chairman and CEO of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies in Malaysia.

PAKISTAN akhtar, hazrat maulana shah hakeem muhammad [new] Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar is a Sufi scholar of theAshrafia order based in Karachi. He has authored numerous books on Islamic spirituality including a popular commentary on the Mathnawi of Jalaluddin Rumi. Akhtar attracts a vast audience at his spiritual center or for -e- (self-correction) and online, where his talks are broadcast live daily. hashmi, dr farhat [new] Hashmi is an influential lecturer and scholar. She has been instrumental in the burgeoning field of the role of and has contributed greatly to its literature. Hashmi is the founder of Al-Huda International, an NGO actively promoting Islamic education and welfare since 1994. najafi, his eminence grand ayatollah muhammad hussain [new] Grand Ayatollah Hussain Najafi is the only marja in South Asia. Based in the Sargodha district of the Punjab province in Pakistan, he was the first scholar from that country to be given the status of marjiyyat and is one of only two Ayatollahs from Pakistan. qadiri, sheikh muhammad ilyas attar [new] Sheikh Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiri is a leader of the Qadiriyyah, Radaviyyah, Attariya branch of the Qadiriyyah Sufi order. He is also the founder of Dawat-e-Islami, a Sunni Barelwi revivalist movement centering on the propagation of Islamic knowledge. Qadiri is a widely-respected sheikh with a significant global following.

102 Scholarly

al qadri, dr muhammad tahir Al Qadri is a politician, professor, and the founder of Minhaj ul Qur’an International Worldwide, an organization whose aim is to establish unity and understanding between communities. He is also the founder of the Minhaj Welfare Foundation that provides welfare for the needy. Al Qadri has authored some 450 published works and given more than 6,000 lectures on economics and political studies, religious and social philosophy, law and medical sciences which are aired on international satellite channels such as QTV, PTV Prime and the Islam Channel. He also served as a jurist consult (legal advisor) on Islamic law for the Supreme Court and the Federal Shari‘ah Court of Pakistan and has worked as a specialist adviser on Islamic curricula for the Federal Ministry of Education of Pakistan.

SINGAPORE kassim, ustaz ibrahim Ibrahim Kassim is one of Singapore’s most respected Islamic scholars. A judge of the shari‘a court in Singapore and the sheikh of the Chistiyya Sufi tariqah in Singapore, Kassim is deeply involved in the rehabilitation of members that are under detention for plotting terrorist attacks in Singapore. This rehabilitation work has garnered international attention as a model for the reintegration of suspected terrorists that could be replicated in other countries.

Europe BOSNIA karic, dr enes [new] Dr Enes Karic is a professor of Qur’anic studies and history of the interpretation of Qur’an at the Faculty of Islamic Studies with the University of Sarajevo. He previously served as the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports with the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994-1996. Dr Karic has written extensively on the Qur’an and Islamic studies in English and Bosnian.

ESTONIA harsinov, his emminence, ahmed Ahmed Harisnov is the mufti of Estonia; he has campaigned for the right of Estonia’s Muslims to have their own mosque. He also carries out important work as a public figure assuring the country’s Christian population that Muslims are a peaceful people. Islam has been present in Estonia for over 100 years, but apprehension about Islam has grown since September 11, 2001, putting the spotlight on figures such as Harsinov.

FRANCE bencheikh, sheikh sohaib Bencheikh is a theologian, a modernist former grand mufti of Marseilles, and one of the most influential social leaders and scholars of Islam in France. Bencheikh is also head of the Higher Institute for Islamic Studies. Marseilles is a cosmopolitan city with a huge population of Muslims of North African ancestry. Bencheikh is a passionate advocate for integration of the Muslim population, rights and women’s involvement as imams in the Muslim community.

GERMANY denffer, dr ahmed von [new] Dr Ahmed von Denffer is an influential figure in Germany. He has been pivotal in German Islam and is a prominent author and translator of Islamic publications in the German language. He has published works on the Qur’an, the Islamic Sciences, and Christian-Muslim relations.

hoffman, his excellency ambassador, dr murad Hoffman is an author and Muslim intellectual, respected by both Muslims and non-Muslims. He is a prominent former German diplomat and author of several books on Islam, including Journey

103 Scholarly

to Makkah and The Future of Islam in the West and the East, published in 2008. Many of his books and essays focus on Islam’s place in the West and in the United States—specifically in light of the post-9/11 climate.

SWITZERLAND ramadan, dr tariq Ramadan is Europe’s preeminent Muslim intellectual writing about Islam in public life. He is a professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University and formerly a visiting professor at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He is the president of the European Muslim Network think tank based in Brussels and is an advisor to the European Union on religion. Ramadan has written 15 books and produced over 100 recordings. Since a six-year bar on entrance to the US, Ramadan made his first public appearance in New York in April 2010.

TURKEY karaman, prof. dr hayrettin Karaman is one of the most prominent scholars of , and the preeminent scholar of Islamic law (shari‘a) there. He publishes popular and academic texts extensively and writes a weekly column in the newspaper ‘Yeni Safak’ (New Dawn). His long career in academia has garnered him much respect. At the pinnacle of his career Karaman was a dean at Turkey’s premier university, Marmara University. He left this position at the height of the headscarf controversy in 2001.

UNITED KINGDOM motala, hadhrat sheikhul hadith maulana yusuf [new] Shiekh Motala is the founder of the Dar ul Ulum Al Arabia Al Ilamia in Holcombe, Bury, Lancashire. He is a scholars’ scholar—many of the United Kingdom’s young Deobandi scholars have studied under his patronage. Sheikh Motala has an expansive network of students and educational institutions which he has founded. winter, timothy (sheikh abdal-hakim murad) Winter is Britain’s leading Muslim scholar, and also one of the most well-respected Western theologians in the Muslim world. He has written on various topics ranging from British Muslim history, theological discourse and social issues. Winter teaches theology at Cambridge University and is the director of Studies in Theology at Wolfson College in Cambridge. His advice is frequently sought on the issue of Muslims in Britain.

Oceania AUSTRALIA aly, waleed Aly is an Australian academic, lawyer, and Muslim community leader. He is a frequent and authoritative commentator on Australian Muslim affairs in the media. He currently works as a lecturer at the Global Terrorism Research Centre at Monash University, Melbourne. el imam, sheikh fehmi El Imam is one of Australia’s most senior Islamic scholars and leaders. As a founding member of Victoria’s Islamic community, he has had a major influence on the development of Islam in Australia. He is secretary general of the Victorian Board of Imams and also senior imam at the Preston Mosque in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

104 Scholarly

Central America EL SAVADOR qattan, dr ahmad Qattan is a Muslim convert of Palestinian origin. He is the co-founder of the Arab Islamic Center in Salvador. Qattan has been an educator and da’wa activist for the past 17 years, and has published more than 100,000 copies of an introductory text on Islam, which has been read by an estimated 250,000 people.

MEXICO rojas, isa Rojas is a da’wa activist and author of numerous articles about Islam in Spanish and French. He is also a student of religion at Al Madina University, Saudi Arabia. Around 4 million people or more have read his articles and translations which have been published on various Islamic websites. He is one of the writers and editors at Islamweb.net.

South America ARGENTINA garcia, prof. muhammad isa Garcia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied Arabic, Islamic studies and theology at Umm Al Qura University in Mecca. He is a specialist in the origins of prophetic tradition. Garcia has translated numerous books, with many only available to a Spanish-speaking readership in his translation. He is also the author of a series named ‘Know Islam’.

CHILE torres, sheikh ismail Ismail Torres is a distinguished sheikh and da’wa activist in Chile. The Muslim community in Chile remains a small but growing pocket in South America, with communities in Santiago, Temuco and Iquique.

COLOMBIA al colombi, dawood abdl ghafur Al Colombi is one of the most well-respected Muslim scholars in Colombia. He is the most active and influentialda’wa activist in Colombia, participating in the conversions of over 1000 people. He is the founder of a mosque in the city of Pereira and of the Centro Cultural Islamico Colombian da’wa project. Al Colombi hosts conferences and awareness lectures for Muslims and non-Muslims, and is acknowledged for his talent for conveying the principles of Islam to non- Muslims. He is also the author of several articles in Spanish and has created the only library of Islamic books in Colombia.

ECUADOR dassum, dr layla Dassum is the vice president and co-founder of the Islamic Centre of Ecuador and the director of the Muslim Ladies Committee. A well-known da’wa activist in Ecuador, Dassum hosts conferences and awareness lectures locally and internationally and teaches women about Islam and the Qur’an. Dassum has represented her country in many conferences in the Islamic world.

105 Scholarly

North America CANADA mattson, ingrid Ingrid Mattson is the director of the Islamic Chaplaincy Program and professor at the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2001 she was elected vice president of ISNA and in 2006 she was elected president, becoming the first woman and the first convert to hold such high positions within the organization. ISNA is the largest Muslim organization in North America, and is an umbrella organization for numerous local and regional Muslim societies and groups in the United States and Canada.

UNITED STATES al alwani, dr taha jaber Al Alwani is an active academic and organizer in the international community of Sunni Muslim scholars. He is the president of Cordoba University, a former chairman of The Fiqh Council of North America, a member of the OIC’s International Islamic Fiqh Academy, and a former president of the US office of the International Institute of Islamic Thought. Al Alwani is also the author of acclaimed works such as: Source Methodology in Islamic Jurisprudence; Towards a Fiqh for Minorities; The Ethics of Disagreement in Islam; Ijtihad; and The and the Sunnah: The Time- Space Factor. He is also a senior fellow of the Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan. estes, Sheikh Yusuf Estes is a well-known Muslim preacher of a moderate Salafi background who lectures all over the world. He is the former national Muslim chaplain for the US Bureau of Prisons and uses technology, such as uploading lectures on the Internet and appearing on television to spread Islam in an accessible manner. His website has over 8 million unique hits. keller, sheikh nuh Keller is a scholar and specialist in Islamic law. He holds the distinction of writing the first Islamic legal work in a European language to receive certification from Al Azhar—the second oldest university in the world, founded in 975 CE. Keller possesses a number of ijazas in Islamic jurisprudence, and teaches students from all over the world. He is a Sheikh of the Shadilyyah Sufi order. nyang, sulayman s Nyang is a professor of African Studies at Howard University and writes extensively on Islam in Africa. He is a former deputy ambassador and head of chancery at the Gambian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and a former consultant to several national and international agencies. shakir, imam is an influential Islamic scholar currently affiliated with the Zaytuna Institute. He founded Masjid al Islam in Connecticut, founded the Tri-State Muslim Education Initiative and the Connecticut Muslim Coordinating Committee. He has worked with Shiekh Hamza Yusuf to develop the first American Islamic seminary, which graduated its inaugural class in2008 . They have since co-founded Zaytuna College, which aspires to become a fully accredited institution. siddiqui, prof. dr muzammil h Professor Siddiqui is chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America. He is a prolific lecturer, adjunct professor of Islamic Studies, director of the Islamic Society of the Orange County Mosque, with around 7,000 members, and is the former president of the Islamic Society of North America. He is very active in interfaith efforts and is the author of a weekly column on Islamic law.

106 POLITICAL

Middle East and North Africa ALGERIA bouteflika, his excellency president abdelaziz Bouteflika is the incumbent president of Algeria. During his ten years of presidency, Bouteflika has succeeded in ending a civil war that ran throughout the nineties and was one of the bloodiest civil unrests of the 20th century in the Muslim world. Peace was reached through a process of reconciliation and amnesty that was strongly supported by the Islamist and Nationalist belligerents. haddam, anwar n Haddam is the president and co-founder of the Movement for Liberty and Social Justice (MLJS). He was elected to the Algerian parliament under the Islamic Front for Salvation in 1991. A leading activist, he is an initiator and signatory of the National Contract for a Peaceful and Political Solution to the Algerian Crisis.

EGYPT elbaradei, dr mohamed Former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr ElBaradei has been recognized globally as a contributor to world peace through his work on non-proliferation and nuclear power regulation with the UN. In the run-up to the 2011 Egyptian presidential election, ElBaradei leads a reform movement to allow independents to run in the forthcoming election. He is widely-endorsed as a potential candidate himself, but has made no public acceptance of the nomination. He currently leads the newly-formed National Association for Change, a non-party movement that calls for general reforms to Egypt’s constitution. mubarak, his excellency president muhammad hosni Muhammad is the fourth and current President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Trained as a fighter in the1960 s and 1970s, he was appointed by then-president Sadat as vice president in 1975, becoming the vice chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) in 1978. Mubarak has effective control over all aspects of Egyptian government. Egypt, a notable soft power player in the region, is one of the cultural hubs of the Islamic world, and is host to a number of historically significant institutions, not least of which is Al Azhar University—the second oldest university in the world, founded in 975 CE. of Cairo for Obama’s speech to the Muslim world was not accidental.

IRAN ahmadinejad, his excellency president mahmoud Ahmadinejad is president of Iran and a former University of Science and Industry lecturer. He supported the Iranian Islamic Revolution and was a founder of the students’ union that occupied the US Embassy in 1979. Ahmadinejad served as governor of Arbadil province and mayor of Tehran. As president, he has enfranchised the politics of the nation’s large conservative, working class population, which makes him incredibly influential. In doing so, he also marginalized Iran’s rising middle class, a fact that curtails some of his influence on Iranian society. ebtekar, her excellency dr masoumeh Ebtekar was the first female vice president of Iran in 1997 and has remained at the center of the revolutionary movement in Iran, since 1979, and has occupied the highest political office to be reached by a woman in the country. She is a considerable force in the reformist movement in Iran, and one of the founding members of the reformist Islamic Iran Participation Front.

107 Political

jalili, saaed Jalili is secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator. The nuclear issue is central to both Iranian domestic politics—nuclear technology has become somewhat of a goal for Iran—and international geopolitics, as many countries, particularly Israel and the US, are wary of further nuclear proliferation. Jalili was brought in after former negotiator Ali Larajani resigned. His role is pivotal in the future security of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the success of its nuclear power program. khatami, his excellency mohammad Mohammad Khatami is a reformist politician who served as president of Iran from 1997 to 2005. Although he was ineffective at bringing around many of the changes from his mandate that were sought by Iranian society, he remains a figurehead of the reformist movement. Khatami was elected to the first Majles al Shura and is known internationally for his proposal in 2000 promoting the UN ‘Dialogue Among Civilizations’ initiative, a movement he hoped would counter the prevailing sentiment that there was a ‘Clash of Civilizations’. rafsanjani, his excellency ayatollah ali akbar hashemi Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is a reformer who served as president of Iran from 1989 to 1997. He currently holds the position of head of the Expediency Council, a position designed to settle disputes between the Iranian parliament and the Council of Guardians. It is one of the most senior positions in Iranian politics as the Expediency Council has the power to dismiss the Supreme Leader.

IRAQ dari, harith Dari is the current leader of the Sunni Ulema Union, the largest association of Sunni Muslim scholars in Iraq. He is a key figure in the movement to expel foreign troops from Iraq, and has given religious sanction to many of the controversial tactics of insurgents, such as kidnapping, arguing that there is historical precedent for such practices.

ISRAEL , sheikh raed Raed Salah is the head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel. He is widely respected in the Islamic world as a spiritual leader. From 1989 to 2001 Salah also served as the mayor of Umm al Fahm, an Israeli-Arab city.

LEBANON hariri, his excellency saad rafic Saad Rafic Hariri is the prime minister designate of Lebanon. He is a Lebanese businessman and the son of the late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Since his father’s assassination in 2005 he has assumed presidency of the Future Movement. He entered parliament in 2005, and remains one of the most prominent leaders of the March 14th group.

PALESTINE abbas, his excellency president mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, is the president of the Palestinian National Authority a co- founder of Fatah, and chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Considered a moderate, he advocated negotiations with Israel and initiated dialogue with Jewish and pacifist movements in the 1970s. Much was expected of his presidency of the Palestinian National Authority and his lack of ability to offer any significant progress has diluted his influence both as a political leader and as a peacemaker. However his position ensures that he remains a central figure in global politics. haniyah, ismail Haniyah is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed prime ministers of the

108 Political

Palestinian National Authority, a matter under political and legal dispute. After being dismissed by President Mahmoud Abbas, Haniyah continued to exercise prime ministerial authority in the Gaza Strip. Haniyah is a popular figure able to broaden the appeal of Hamas in Gazan politics.

SUDAN al bashir, his excellency president omar Al Bashir is the current president of Sudan and head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in a coup in 1989 and has since instituted elements of shari‘a law throughout the country, including in Christian and animist areas. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for al Bashir in 2009, indicting him on five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture and rape) and two counts of war crimes (pillaging and intentionally directing attacks against civilians).

SYRIA al assad, his excellency president bashar Al Assad is an Alawite Shi‘a and president of the Syrian Arab Republic. He has broad appeal as a leader of a predominantly Muslim country through a number of reforms that he instituted. He changed the law soon after taking office to allow the wearing of hijab in public schools. He also began permitting soldiers to pray in mosques. Assad has made an increasing amount of references to Syria’s Islamic heritage in official speeches, signaling that Islam is not as feared as it once was by the Syrian government.

TUNISIA ghannushi, rashid Ghannoushi has influenced Tunisian politics since the 1980s when he founded the Renaissance Party. The Renaissance Party is an Islamic political party whose principles and ideals have been widely accepted by Tunisians. Ghannoushi continues to lead the party in exile in London, and writes prolifically. Although seen as a radical in Tunisia, he is respected throughout the world as a proponent of Islamic democracy.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES al maktoum, his highness amir sheikh mohammed bin rashid [2009:21] Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is the Ruler of Dubai and the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. Although his influence has ebbed, especially in light of the financial crisis and national debt facing Dubai and its major investment company, Dubai World, al Maktoum is a well-respected politician in the Middle East. He has launched multiple charity initiatives from Dubai, such as ‘Dubai Cares’ which has donated over $910 million to youth education initiatives in impoverished countries since its inception in 2007. al nahyan, his highness sheikh khalifa bin zayed Al Nahyan is the president of one of the fastest-growing nations in the world, the United Arab Emirates. He has significant power over the direction in which the Emirates go and has very clear opinions about Islam’s role in the economic development of the UAE, saying that women are accorded the right to work where they please as long as a respectful environment is maintained. Under his leadership, the UAE has seen significant economic growth and the renaming of the Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa is considered a symbol of Al Nahyan’s financial power.

Middle Africa deby itno, his excellency president idriss Deby is the president of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. He took power in 1990, leading a predominantly Muslim army. Muslims make up around 55 percent of Chad’s 11

109 Political

million people. Deby holds great domestic authority through his ability to consolidate power in Chad. Chad was previously affected by a high frequency of coup d’états. He participated in the negotiated peace agreement in February 2010 between the rebel groups of the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese government.

East Africa SOMALIA ahmed, his excellency president sheikh sharif sheikh Ahmed is the ninth president of Somalia and former commander in chief of the Islamic Courts Union—a previously militaristic organization that had significant control over the country, which has now reformed into a Somalian political party. Ahmed was educated in shari‘a in Sudan and Libya and is a Hafiz of the Qur’an (one who has memorized the entire Qur’an) and the spiritual leader of the Idriseeyah order of Sufi . aweys, sheikh hassan dahir Aweys is an influential Somali leader. He is a Salafi and the former head of the Shura Council of the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia. In April 2009 Aweys returned to Somalia and declared war on the African Peace Keeping Forces (AMISOM). Although marginalized from mainstream Somali politics, he continues to enjoy significant support from the Al Shabbab resistance movement in Somalia.

West Africa touré, his excellency president amadou toumani Touré is the president of Mali which has a 95 percent majority of Muslims. He overthrew the military ruler, Moussa Traoré in 1991, then handed power to civilian authorities the next year. Touré won the presidential elections in 2002, with a broad coalition of support and was easily re- elected in 2007.

Asia AFGHANISTAN karzai, his excellency president hamid Hamid Karzai was elected as president of Afghanistan for a full five-year term in September2004 , becoming the first directly-elected president in the country’s history. He was then reelected to a subsequent five-year term in a controversial election in2009 . Karzai has been able to build up considerable support from the Afghans. Under his presidency Afghanistan’s economy has been growing rapidly for the first time in many years. His administration does, however, suffer from widespread allegations of corruption.

AZERBAIJAN aliyev, his excellency president ilham Aliyev is the current president of Azerbaijan and the chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party. Although not outwardly religious, he is a Muslim and his advocacy of a moderate cultural Islam is representative of the demands of the population of the country. Azerbaijan, with a population of approximately 7.5 million Muslims is an active member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

BANGLADESH wazed, her excellency sheikha hasina Sheikha Hasina Wazed is the current prime minister of and the president of one of

110 Political

Bangladesh’s major political parties, the Awami League. Poverty alleviation has become a priority for one of the poorest but most populous Muslim countries in the world, under Wazed’s leadership. Wazed is the daughter of Muijibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh.

INDONESIA djalal, dr dino patti [new] Djalal is the presidential spokesperson for President Yudhoyono, and is also a diplomat, speech writer, youth activist, academic, and author of a national best seller.

MALAYSIA abidin, his majesty spb yang dipertuan agong tuanku mizan zainal [new] The Yang DiPertuan Agong is the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, with a population of 25.9 million. He is also the Sultan of Terengganu and currently one of the youngest and longest-reigning Malay rulers. As King, he is also considered the Head of Islam. ibrahim, his excellency dr anwar Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician of global stature. He is the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, former finance minister and is currently the leader of the Malaysian opposition coalition. He is well-known for his liberal Islamic stance on politics, and is incredibly influential as a leader and role model for young people. Ibrahim’s coalition now controls four of 13 state governments. If led by Anwar, it would have a fair chance of winning the next national election in 2013. ismail, dr wan azizah wan [new] Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People’s Justice Party). She was Leader of the Opposition Party until she stepped down for Anwar Ibrahim. razak, najib tun Razak became the 6th prime minister of Malaysia in 2009. He is focused on domestic economic issues and political reform, promotes economic liberalization, and has stated that Malaysia is led by Islamic principles and is not a secular state. Razak is also the president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

PAKISTAN ahmed, qazi hussain [new] Qazi Hussain Ahmed is a former Amir of the Jamaat-e-Islami Islamist political party in Lahore, which is an influential network of millions of Muslims involved in missionary work, Islamic education, and some relief efforts. The Jamaat-e-Islami has been labeled extremist for its ties to jihadist movements in Pakistan, however Qazi Ahmed and the organization continue to be popular and influential with their missionary campaigns. kayani, general ashfaq Kayani is the Pakistani army’s chief of staff. He has immense influence as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s leading military figure. Kayani has particular influence currently as the country undergoes continued unrest with significant amounts of power in the hands of non-government- controlled militia, and the federal government finds ways to regain control. lodi, her excellency ambassador dr maleeha Maleeha Lodi is a journalist and diplomat. She previously served on the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Affairs and as Pakistani ambassador to the US and Britain. Lodi received the President’s Award of Hilal-e-Imtiaz for public service in Pakistan. She was recently given the prestigious honor of being named a counsel on the Council of the Institute of Strategic Studies; Europe’s premier think tank. rahman, maulana fazlur [new] Maulana Fazlur Rahman is the Secretary General of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal coalition of

111 Political

religious parties in Pakistan’s parliament. He is also the president of the Deobandi religio-political organization, Jamiat Ulema-Islam, or Assembly of Islamic Scholars. Rahman leads one of two main branches of the expansive organization which is a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He is widely-respected as a dedicated scholar of Islam and is a seasoned politician.

PHILIPPINES misuari, nur Nur Misuari is a revolutionary leader of the Bangsamoro and began his campaign for better treatment of the people of Mindanao by the Manila government through the Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM) in the 1970s, which later became the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Under Misuari’s leadership the MNLF challenged the government until the Tripoli Agreement was negotiated in 1976.

SINGAPORE rasheed, his excellency zainul abidin Rasheed is the senior minister of state for foreign affairs for Singapore and the mayor of the North Eastern district of Singapore. Rasheed’s activities have a focus on Singapore’s diplomatic relations with the Muslim world, and also on sharing knowledge about Singapore’s experience of inter- cultural and inter-religious relations with nations with substantial Muslim populations. Rasheed is widely known domestically, having held numerous positions of leadership throughout his career in journalism, organized labor and representing Singapore’s large percentage of Muslims.

TAJIKISTAN rahmon, his excellency emomalii [new] Rasheed has been the President of Tajikistan since 1994. He has done much to establish a distinct Tajik identity, and has called for closer ties with other Muslim nations in the region.

THAILAND pitsuwan, his excellency dr surin Pitsuwan is the secretary general of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a former foreign minister of Thailand. He is an advocate for better relations with Muslims in South East Asia, speaking out against the marginalization of Muslim communities. ASEAN is one of the most important international organizations in the world, coordinating the economies and politics of some of the fastest-growing middle-income economies in the world.

TURKMENISTAN berdimuhamedow, his excellency president gurbanguly mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow has been the president of Turkmenistan since 21 December, 2006. In April 2007, Berdimuhamedow visited Islamic holy sites in Medina furthering the relationship he seeks to build with the broader Muslim world. He is a moderate Muslim traditionalist who has sought to normalize life in Turkmenistan after the more unorthodox religious beliefs of his predecessor Niyazov.

Europe DENMARK khader, nasser Khader is Denmark’s leading Muslim politician. As a member of parliament, he has represented both the Social Liberal Party and the Liberal Alliance, the latter until 5 January, 2009 as founding leader. A leading proponent of the peaceful co-existence of democracy and Islam, he established a new movement, Moderate Muslims (later renamed Democratic Muslims), when the Jyllands- Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy started.

112 Political

FRANCE bechari, dr mohammad Bechari, born in Morocco, is a leader and prolific and dynamic public figure in the landscape of European Islam. He is the president of the French National Federation of Muslims, one of the leading entities organizing Islam in France. He is also the secretary general of the Islamic European Conference, a Europe-wide umbrella organization that seeks to be a single organization representing European Muslims at a European level. Bechari is the founder of the Avicenna Institute in Lille and is the vice president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith.

KOSOVO thaçi, his excellency prime minister hashim Thaçi was formerly a political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The KLA was the guerrilla group that fought against Serb forces in the late 1990s. Thaçi is the prime minister of the newly formed Kosovan national government. Kosovo itself is significant as an important cause for international Muslim solidarity, and is the most recently recognized Muslim-majority country in the world.

RUSSIA kadyrov, his excellency president ramzan President of Chechnya, is the son of former president, rebel leader and preacher Akhmad Kadyrov. He maintains an iron grip on Chechnya’s government and institutions. minnikhanov, his excellency president dr rustam [new] Dr Minnikhanov is the newly-elected president of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation. Tatarstan is an affluent region in the center of Russia, and its religious culture has been lauded as a model of the combination of Islam and European culture. President Minnikhanov is the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, and was nominated for the presidency by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. yevloyev, akhmed Yevloyev is an important rebel leader based in Ingushetia, a region bordering Chechnya. He is part of the broader Caucasian Front movement, which is trying to set up an Islamic free-state on the southern border of Russia.

SPAIN bakkach el aamrani, mostafa [new] El Aamrani is a notable writer, poet and journalist of Moroccan descent. In early March 2010 he created the Partido Renacimeinto y Unión España or PRUNE party as its founding president. The PRUNE party is the first national Islamic political party in Spain and is based on a platform of ‘justice, equality, and solidarity’.

TURKEY davutoglu, his excellency ahmet Davutoglu is the current minister of foreign affairs of Turkey. He is considered the most important figure for redefining the new framework of Turkish foreign policy under the AK Party’s rule. Before becoming the foreign minister, Davutoglu served as chief foreign policy advisor to PMs Gül and Erdogan. He is influential both as a politician and a well-respected, and successful scholar of international relations and the Muslim world. erbakan, his excellency prof. necmettin Erbakan is a former prime minister of Turkey (1996-1997), and the founder of the National View movement from which the current prime minister and president hail. Erbakan’s election to prime minister was the first time an Islamic party, the Welfare Party, had been elected to govern in modern Turkish history. He has advocated a stronger relationship between Turkey and the Muslim world,

113 Political

which much of the Turkish electorate supports. He remains one of the most well-known Turkish politicians in the Muslim world.

UNITED KINGDOM ahmed, lord nazir Nazir Ahmed is the first Muslim member of the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the United Kingdom’s bicameral parliament. Membership is for life, and underlines the respect and trust he enjoys in the British establishment. Ahmed has worked on issues relating to Islam and Britain’s Muslim community. He also works internationally to promote dialogue and freedom of religion. ali, dr anas al shaikh Anas al Shaikh Ali is the chair of the small but dynamic Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) and the director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIT) London Office. The AMSS has been active in producing policy papers and publications on issues of concern to the UK’s Muslim population for many years, but was thrust into mainstream domestic politics after the events of 7 July, 2005 in London. Ali has been at the forefront of a number of international campaigns for better relations between faiths, specifically in promoting the ‘A Common Word’ initiative and also the fight against the demonization of Islam in media, founding the UK’s Forum against and Racism. warsi, lady sayeeda Warsi is the most senior Muslim in the Conservative Party. She is the Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action, and a member of the shadow cabinet. She was part of the successful mission by British Muslim politicians to Sudan to secure the release of an imprisoned British teacher in 2007.

North America UNITED STATES ellison, representative keith Keith Ellison is the first Muslim to serve in the US Congress. He is serving his second term in the Fifth Congressional District of Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives and also serves on the Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. Representative Ellison has been an outspoken advocate for American Muslims and his trips to the Muslim world, such as a visit to Palestine in the aftermath of the Israeli attacks in 2009, have garnered international support for his outreach to the Muslim world. hussain, rashad Rashad Hussain is the first Indian-American to be appointed Deputy Associate Counsel to the president; he was appointed by President Obama. He is a former trial attorney at the US Department of Justice, a former legislative assistant to the House Judiciary Committee, and a former editor of the Yale Law Journal. Hussain was subsequently named the US envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, in March 2010. He is lauded for his balance of secular and religious leadership as a young Muslim lawyer and Hafiz (one who has memorized the entire Qur’an), playing a key role in advising the American President on US-Muslim world affairs.

114 ADMINISTRATIVE

Middle East and North Africa ALGERIA ghlamallah, his excellency bouabdellah Ghlamallah is Algeria’s long-standing Minister of Waqf and Islamic Affairs, a position he has held since the election of current President Bouteflika in1999 . He previously held high level positions in the Ministry of Education throughout the 1980s and 1990s where he went from focusing on basic education to the organization of Qur’anic schools and religious education. Ghlamallah maintains a strong commitment to France’s Algerian Muslim community.

EGYPT al husseini, dr abd allah [new] Dr Abd Allah al Husseini was appointed to the Presidency of the Al Azhar University upon the resignation of Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad al Tayeb in March 2010. Al Husseini is formerly the vice president for educational and student affairs at Al Azhar.

IRAN jafari, general mohammad ali [2009:41] General Mohammad Ali Jafari is the Chief Commander of the Iranian Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (also known as the Revolutionary Guard), an elite faction of the Iranian armed forces—separate from the army—that reports directly to the Velayat-e Faqih. Jafari is the leader of 200,000 troops, close to 300,000 reservists, and the 20,000 strong highly trained Quds Force. The Revolutionary Guard Corps occupies cabinet positions, parliament seats, and controls 500 companies in various business industries. The Revolutionary Guard also exerts influence through funding and directing Shi‘a movements abroad such as Hezbollah, and the Mahdi Army. Because of this, Jafari has a significant degree of control in Iraq. sobhani, his eminence ayatollah jafar Sobhani is a leading member of the Council of Mujtahids in the Seminary of Qom; one of the two most important centers of learning in Twelver Shi’ism. He is the director of the Imam Sadiq Institute, Iran. His work in all areas of the Islamic sciences is widely known and receives critical attention. Sobhani is a prolific writer having published over 300 scholarly works. vaez-tabasi, his eminence ayatollah abbas Vaez-Tabasi is at the head of Iran’s single richest institution, the Holy Estate of Imam Reza. The Holy Estate owns hundreds of companies and resources. Its revenue is supplemented by the donations of the millions of pilgrims that make the journey to Mashhad, where Imam Reza (the eighth of the Twelver Imams) is buried.

JORDAN al abbadi, his excellency abdul salam Al Abbadi is the current secretary general of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, based in Saudi Arabia. The academy is the highest legal authority of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the highest non-sectarian Islamic legal authority in the Muslim world. Al Abbadi is a professor of Islamic jurisprudence, and former president of the Aal al Bayt University. farhan, ishaq Farhan is the leader of the Islamic Action Front (IAF). The IAF is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan. Farhan is known as a moderate, and was an early advocate of the participation of women in the Brotherhood movement.

115 Administrative

LEBANON daouk, amine m Daouk is the head of the Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association of Beirut. Makassed is one of the oldest modern Islamic development organizations in Lebanon. It started as an initiative to make free education available to girls and has developed into a major Muslim development organization, focusing on education, health care, and social issues. nashabeh, prof. dr hisham Nashabeh is the chairman of the Board of Higher Education and the dean of education at the Makassed Association, Lebanon where he oversees the educational work of all the institutions in the Makassed network. Nashabeh is also chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Palestine Studies and the director of the Institute of Higher Islamic Studies, both based in Beirut.

LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA al sharif, prof. dr muhammad ahmed Al Sharif is the secretary general of the World Islamic Call Society (WICS), Tripoli. The WICS is one of the leading organizations working globally to promote the Islamic faith. It has worked largely in Africa to spread the message of Islam and also for development work there. It is a huge network of organizations with a powerful patron: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

MOROCCO modghari, his excellency dr abd al kabir Modghari is the director of the Casablanca-based Bayt Mal al Quds agency of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which is devoted to safeguarding the city of Jerusalem and its religious, architectural and cultural heritage, and also providing development assistance to the Palestinian population and their institutions. Modghari was a former long-term Minister of Waqf and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco representing the late King Hassan II.

OMAN al khalili, his eminence sheikh ahmad Sheikh al Khalili is the grand mufti of Oman. He is head of religious institutions there, and is charged with ensuring that the religious teachings of Oman follow a moderate path. Al Khalili issues fatwas on behalf of Oman’s establishment and represents Oman in Islamic events abroad.

PALESTINE sabri, his eminence sheikh dr ikrima Sa‘id Sabri is head of the Supreme Islamic Council, and a former grand mufti of Jerusalem and all of Palestine. He remains an Imam of the Blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, preaching there regularly. Sabri is an important figure who is well-respected by many in Palestine for his forthright views on Israel.

SAUDI ARABIA al faisal, his royal highness prince mohammed Prince Mohammed al Faisal has been groundbreaking in the area of Islamic finance, setting up the first modern bank run in compliance with the rules ofshari‘a. The Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt was set up in Cairo in 1977, and aimed to be a model of Islamic banking for future initiatives. Islamic banking is founded on the premise of lending without interest. Prince al Faisal remains the chairman of the board of directors of the bank. olayan, lubna Lubna Olayan is internationally recognized as Saudi Arabia’s top businesswoman. As a leading investor in the Saudi economy, chief executive officer of the Olayan Financing Company, and a board member for organizations such as Saudi Hollandi Bank, Rolls Royce and Citigroup, among others, she is one of the most influential businesswomen in the world.

116 Administrative

al rajhi, sulaiman abdul aziz Al Rajhi owns the biggest stake in the world’s largest organization for Islamic banking and finance, Al Rajhi Bank, with roughly 60 outlets in Saudi Arabia and additional outlets in Malaysia. As Saudi Arabia’s richest non-royals, members of the al Rajhi family are among the world’s leading philanthropists. They also run the SARR Foundation: a network of charities and research organizations.

SYRIA alchaar, dr mohammed nedal Alchaar is the secretary general of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). The AAOIFI is an independent international corporate organization supported by its 200 members from 45 countries around the globe which comprise the international Islamic banking and finance industry. It is one of the key organizations creating standards for the Islamic banking industry.

Southern Africa SOUTH AFRICA hendricks, maulana igsaan Hendricks is the president of the Muslim Judicial Council of Cape Town. The Muslim Judicial Council is one of the central Islamic organizations in South Africa, doing educational work as well as social work for the Muslim community. The organization runs the International Peace University of South Africa (IPSA), and oversees administration of Cape Town’s Al Azhar Institute.

Middle Africa CHAD abakar, sheikh hussain hassan Sheikh Hussain Hassan Abakar is the Imam of the Muslims of Chad and the chairman of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Chad. He is also a founding member of the Muslim World League (MWL). Abakar oversees the activities of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in implementing educational and cultural programs through Islamic schools, educational books and training courses for imams. He has been important in fundraising for the education of Muslims in Chad.

East Africa MALAWI king’ombe, sheikh aman King’ombe is the Spiritual Advisor of the Celebrations of the Birth of the Prophet Muhammad. He is a cleric responsible for the organization of the festivities. The festivities are attended by thousands of Muslims from around Africa. In 2009 King’ombe extended an invitation to the Christian population of Malawi to partake in the festival.

ZIMBABWE menk, mufti ismail musa [new] Mufti Ismail Musa Menk is the director of the Daarul Ilm (Islamic Educational Centre) of the Majlisul Ulama. The Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe is an Islamic welfare organization which caters to the needs of the Muslim population of Zimbabwe, especially in terms of Islamic education. Menk is a noted scholar in eastern Africa and also lectures internationally.

117 Administrative

West Africa MAURITANIA bah, prof. dr mohammed el mokhtar ould Bah is the president of the Chinguetti Modern University, Mauritania. Chinguetti is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its importance as a center of Islamic learning in the North West coast of Africa. This gives Bah a position with considerable historical and religious capital in West Africa.

NIGERIA ajibola, his excellency prince bola Prince Bola Ajibola is the former head of the Nigerian High Commission in London and the president and founder of the Islamic Movement for Africa. He also served as the vice chairman of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague between 1991 and 1994. In 1994 Prince Ajibola was appointed Judge ad-hoc to the Permanent Court of International Arbitration, with respect to the court’s deliberations on the land dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon. He also served as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice in Nigeria. Most recently he founded the Crescent University, in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He is also a senior fellow of the Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan. mohamed, imam ustaz musa [new] Imam Mohamed is the chief imam of the Abuja National Mosque in Nigeria. As the leading imam of the national mosque of Nigeria, Imam Mohamed is often the spokesperson for Islamic religious affairs in the country.

Asia AFGHANISTAN gilani, sayyed ahmad [new] Gilani is a Sufi cleric of the Qadiriyya as well as the leader of the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan, a moderate Islamic resistance organization. Since taking leadership of the Sufi order, Gilani has liberalized the tariqa and made it more welcoming to all. samim, dr abdul zahir shafiq [new] Dr Abdul Zahir Shafiq Samim has recently been appointed deputy minister for Islamic education at the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan. Prior to his current position, Dr Samim served as deputy minister at the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs. He has made important contributions to Islamic education in Afghanistan and has assisted the national commission in the formulation and planning of Islamic education in Afghanistan through the Ministry of Education.

BANGLADESH rahman, mohammad fazlur Rahman is the leader of the , Bangladesh. The Islamic Foundation is a quasi- governmental organization working under the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Bangladesh. Its chief aims are educational, and organizational, researching, publishing, offering scholarships and also providing funding to maintain mosques. The head office of the Islamic Foundation is in Dhaka, and is supported by six regional offices and58 district offices. The organization runs seven imam training centers and 29 centers for da’wa.

CAMBODIA , h.e. zakaryya [new] H.E. Zakaryya Adam is a member of the Cambodian parliament, and serves as a member of the Commission on Education, Youth, Sport, Religious Affairs, Culture and Tourism. Previously, he held the position of secretary of state in the Ministry of and Religion. In addition to his

118 Administrative

government service, H.E. Zakaryya Adam holds several other prominent positions in support of the advancement of the Muslim community in Cambodia. He serves as vice president of the Highest Council for Islamic Religious Affairs, as the vice president of the Cambodian Muslim Development Foundation (CMDF), general secretary for the Cambodian Islamic Center (CIC), and as a director of Cambodian Islamic Voice Radio. Adam has translated the Qur’an, as well as other Islamic books, from Arabic into the Khmer language for Cambodian readers; he has also written a Melayu-Khmer dictionary.

CHINA guangyuan, imam chen chen Guangyuan is the Grand Imam of China as well as the president of the Islamic Association of China and the president of the Chinese-Islamic Institute. He has a very important position, with China’s roughly 20 million Muslims coming almost exclusively from minority groups. Guangyuan, has also recently spoken out in opposition to violence against Uighurs. arshad, mufti mohammad Mohammad Arshad is the chief imam of Hong Kong and the khateeb (orator) of the largest mosque in Hong Kong. Arshad keeps good relations with the government, police and foreign consulates. Approximately 50,000 Muslims live in Hong Kong.

INDIA bukhari, syed ahmad [new] Bukhari is the imam of the largest and best-known mosque in India, Jama Masjid.

INDONESIA indrawati, sri mulyani [new] Sri Mulyani Indrawati is one of the most powerful women in the world and an Indonesian policymaker with an international profile. She was recently re-appointed as finance minister in 2009. Since her appointment, Southeast Asia’s largest economy has become one of the fastest- growing economies in the region, due in part to the combination of sound economic policies and a more stable political situation. mahfudz, sahal [new] Mahfudz was re-elected for a third term as chief of the consultative body (syuriah) of the Nahdlatul Ulama in March 2010. Since 2000 he has been the head the Indonesia Ulema Council, which comprises both Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s most influential Islamic organizations. The Ulama Council grants food certification and also actively produces fatwas. Besides being a dean of Nahdlatul Ulama Institute, Jepara, Sahal also manages Maslakul Huda, a that actively supports the economic development of the surrounding neighborhood through its microfinance program. umar, dr nasaruddin Nasaruddin is the director general of religious guidance at the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. He is also a rector at the Institute for Advanced Qur’anic Studies in Indonesia and secretary general of the Nahdhatul Ulama Consultative Council.

MALAYSIA nik mat, dato’ haji nick abdul aziz [2009:42] Dato’ Haji Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is a Malaysian politician, an Islamic scholar and has been the chief minister of the State of Kelantan for the past 20 years. He holds the position of Mursyidul Am—the religious guide—within the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). As the religious guide of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, Nik Mat is the spiritual leader of Malaysian Islamic politics and holds very important sway over the tenor of politics in the nation. Nik Mat’s fundamentalist party has close to one million members and enjoys strong support from the northern rural and conservative states such as Kelantan and Terengganu.

119 Administrative

MALDIVES saeed, mohamed shaheem ali [new] Saeed is the minister of state for Islamic Affairs for the Republic of Maldives. His knowledge of Islam has provided good leadership to his ministry, especially in the drafting of regulations under the Religious Unity Act of the Maldives which, he believes, would provide a legal framework to protect Islam. Saeed is also collaborating with the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation to introduce a new television channel which would focus on relating Islam to the broader issues of society. He was a member of the World Islamic People’s Leadership and the Islamic Fiqh Academy in the Maldives.

PAKISTAN siddiqui, dr anwar hussain [new] Siddiqui is the president of the International Islamic University in Islamabad, a school aiming to produce scholars and practitioners able to use their Islamic learning to meet the economic, social, political, and intellectual needs of the ummah.

SRI LANKA mufthi, m.i.m. [new] M.I.M. Rizvi Mufthi is the head of All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), an organization that plays an active role as the Islamic religious higher authority of Sri Lanka with 3000 active members under its 22 districts and 15 divisional branches. ACJU has recently established a Halal Certification Authority in Sri Lanka and also publishes a quarterly which lists halal-certified organisations and products. One of the pioneering scholars in the field of Islamic banking and finance, Mufthi is a member of the shari‘a advisory councils for a number of Islamic financial institutions in Sri Lanka.

UZBEKISTAN alemov, his eminence usman Alemov has been the chief mufti of Uzbekistan since 2006. He is respected for his moderate stance and proven record in coping with extremists in the Samarkand region where he was formerly a mufti. Alemov was instrumental in making Tashkent the ISESCO Capital of Islamic Culture for 2007.

Europe ALBANIA koci, hafiz sabri Hafiz Sabri Koci is chairman of the Albanian Islamic Community, which is the country’s ruling Islamic body. He spent 27 years in a prison labour camp under the communist rule during which he authored many books about Islam. These works were so inspiring that he was elected as leader of Albanian Muslims after his release.

AUSTRIA shakfeh, anas Shakfeh is the head of the Islamic Faith Community in Austria (IGGIOe). He has been its president for around a decade, building a close relationship with the Austrian state on community integration. Shakfeh also leads the Islamic Education Authority. In 2008 he was decorated for his services to the Republic of Austria by President Heinz Fischer.

BELARUS voronovich, ismail mukharemovich Voronovich runs the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of Belarus which is linked to a number of small communities around Belarus, with the largest congregation based at a mosque in Slonim.

120 Administrative

CZECH REPUBLIC sanka, vladimir Vladimir Sanka is the vice president of The Islamic Centre in Prague. The Czech Republic is one of the least religious countries in Europe, however Sanka’s center bucks this trend, leading the fastest- growing religious community in Prague, and reflecting a larger movement throughout Europe.

DENMARK pederson, abdul wahid Abdul Wahid Pederson is the vice president of Muslims in Dialogue, which promotes Islam within Denmark. Pederson is also the principal of three elementary schools, vice chairman of the Islamic Christian Study Centre, foreign relations manager of the Muslim Council of Denmark, and secretary general of the charity Danish Muslim Aid. He is the first imam to hold Friday sermons in Danish.

FINLAND daher, okan Okan Daher is a leader of the Tatar Muslim population of Helsinki. Tatar Muslims have lived in Finland for centuries. He is influential in community relations with the Christian-majority society of Finland by promoting ways to adapt flexibly while maintaining cultural heritage, and he is also influential through promoting relations with the various Tatar communities in Europe. Daher is also head of the Islamic Community of Finland and an advisor to the President of the Republic of Finland.

FRANCE moussaoui, mohammed [new] Moussaoui is the president of the French Council on Muslim Faith. The CFCM was established in 2003 by then Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy to be the ‘official’ representative body of the French Muslim community. Council members are directly elected by French Muslims.

ITALY pallavicini, imam yahya sergio yahe Pallavicini is an important figure in the religious life of Italian Muslims as well as in European relations with the Muslim world. He is vice president of CO.RE.IS (Comunità Religiosa Islamica; the Islamic Religious Community), Italy, the chairman of the ISESCO Council for Education and Culture in the West, and an advisor for Islamic affairs to the Italian minister of interior. Pallavicini is also the imam of the al Wahid Mosque of Milan in Via Meda, where he organizes the training of imams in Italian. His father is Abd Al Wahid Pallavicini, the noted preacher and head of the Ahamadiyyah Idrissiyyah Shadhiliyyah brotherhood in Italy.

KOSOVO trnava, his eminence sheikh naim Naim Trnava is the grand mufti of Kosovo. He is the leading religious figure in Kosovo, a new country, which emerged after an ethno-religious war that caused widespread loss of life and destruction. Trnava is a key figure in the attempts of the country’s Muslim population to overcome the horrors of war. He was instrumental in the creation of the Inter-Religious Council Organization for Interfaith Relations.

PORTUGAL vakil, abdool magid abdool karim [new] Abdool Magid Abdool Karim Vakil is the founder and president of the Islamic Community (Comunidade Islâmica de Lisboa), the co-founder and president of the Abrahamic Forum of Portugal (Forum Abraâmico de Portugal) and a member of the Committee for Religious Freedom of the Ministry of Justice of Portugal. He is one of the leading economists from the region and has recieved several awards for his work from the Portuguese goverment.

121 Administrative

RUSSIA nasibullahoglu, mufti cafer [new] Cafer Nasibullahoglu is the imam of the St Petersburg mosque. He is also the mufti of St Petersburg, which is home to approximately 700 thousand Muslims. His diverse congregation consists of Muslims of Tatar, Kazakh, Uzbek, Tajik, and Arab origin, among others, and the sermon at St Petersburg mosque is often conducted in Arabic, Tatar, and Russian.

SWEDEN bin ouda, helena Bin Ouda is the chairwoman of the Muslim Council of Sweden, which is the main representative body for Muslims living in Sweden. The council is an umbrella organization representing a number of Islamic organizations in the country and currently has nine member organizations, with a sum total of about 100,000 members.

SWITZERLAND maizar, hisham [new] Hisham Maizar is president of the Federation of Islamic Organizations of Switzerland. The FIOS was established as an umbrella organization for Islamic movements in Switzerland and has member organizations representing over 100 ethnic groups including Swiss, Albanians, , Bosnians, Turks, and Africans. Switzerland has as many as 400,000 Muslims and is considered to have some of the most anti-Islamic sentiments in Europe.

TURKEY bardakoglu, prof dr ali Ali Bardakoglu is the president of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey (Diyanet). He is a moderate Islamic leader who supports interfaith initiatives and in 2005 appointed two women to the position of vice mufti. The Presidency of Religious Affairs has significant influence over the activities of religious associations and places of worship in the country. He is former professor of Islamic law at the University of Marmara. çagrıcı, his eminence prof. dr mustafa Mustafa Çagrıcı is the mufti of Istanbul as well as a theology professor and is a respected figure among Turkish Muslims. He welcomed and prayed with Pope Benedict XVI in the Blue Mosque in 2006.

UNITED KINGDOM ahsan, dr manazir Ahsan is the director general of the Islamic Foundation, Leicester. The Islamic Foundation is one of the main centers working for integration and understanding of the British Muslim population. Although the center has occasionally been referred to as extremist, it does accurately reflect the diversity of the British Muslim community. bari, dr muhammad abdul [new] Bari is the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, the largest Islamic umbrella organization in the United Kingdom. The MCB has over 500 national, regional and local affiliate organisations and strives to promote a full and participatory role for Muslims in public life. kazmi, nadeem [new] Nadeem Kazmi is the director for International Development of the Imam Al-Khoei Benevolent Foundation based in London. The foundation is notable for its humanitarian aid and for its community work in both the UK and the United States.

122 Administrative

as-sufi, sheikh abd al qadir [new] Sheikh as-Sufi is the founder of the Murabitun World Movement, and leader of theDarqawi- -Qadiri Sufi order. Born Ian Dallas in Scotland, As-Sufi converted to Islam in1967 . He has taught leading contemporary Muslim scholars and is a prolific writer, with a broad readership of Muslims and non-Muslims from across the globe. He traces his scholarly lineage (a chain of authorized sheikhs) back to the Prophet Muhammad.

Oceania NEW ZEALAND ghani, dr anwar [new] Ghani is president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ). His work leading FIANZ has been considerable; building bridges with the government as well as with the broader New Zealand population and leaders of other faiths. kireka-whaanga Kireka-Whaanga is the leader of the Aotearoa Maori Muslim Association (AMMA) the main organization for New Zealand’s Maori Muslims. Islam is an increasingly important religion for the indigenous population of New Zealand, and is the fastest-growing religion amongst the Maori community.

Caribbean JAMAICA muhammad, mustafa Muhammad is a spokesperson for the Muslim population of Jamaica and has been the president of the Islamic Council of Jamaica for the past 14 years. His work involves education and halal certification. He oversees the eleven mosques in Jamaica that are attended regularly by an estimated 5,000 Muslims.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ali, imam yacoob Ali is the president of the largest and most influential Muslim organization in Trinidad and Tobago, the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association (ASJA) which was founded in 1936. Ali’s organization runs numerous schools and focuses on the importance of education for Muslim youth.

Central America EL SALVADOR al salvadori, mustafa Mustafa Al Salvadori is the president of the Shi‘a community in El Salvador. His work, besides that with his own community, has tended to involve education about Islam to the mainly Catholic population of El Salvador which has become, broadly speaking, fearful of Islam over the past decade.

South America ARGENTINA hallar, muhammad yusuf Hallar is an active figure in Argentina involved in community development for Latino Muslims. He has conducted comprehensive research on Muslims in Latin America and holds a number of positions including secretary general of the Islamic Organization of Latin America and the

123 Administrative

director of the Office of Islamic Culture and is a member of the Expert Committee on Minority Rights for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

BRAZIL othman, abdul-baqi sayed Othman is the director of Rio de Janeiro’s Charitable Society of Muslims (Sociedad de Beneficiente Muçulmana). He has represented Brazilian Muslims in many international conferences. Othamn is also a da’wa activist, and runs the IQRA publishing center in Brazil where he helps publish translations of various Islamic books.

ECUADOR suquillo, juan Suquillo is an imam and the director and co-founder of the Islamic Centre of Ecuador. He has received awards in recognition of his services to the nation, and has translated many books into Spanish. These have become very popular since the 9/11 attacks when non-Muslims became interested in learning about Islam. Suquillo’s books have become bestsellers since then. He is very well-respected, especially by South American Muslim scholars.

North America CANADA delic, imam dr zijad Imam Delic is the National Executive Director of the Canadian Islamic Congress. The CIC is made up of 24 organizations plus 180 unaffiliated individuals; the CIC’s newsletter has 300,000 subscribers worldwide. Imam Delic is a scholar who writes about how Muslims can integrate into Canadian society, and he has been a consultant to the Canadian government and various NGOs. Delic is the former imam of the British Columbia Muslim Association which represents 57,000 Muslims living in BC. valiante, wahida [new] A social worker and therapist by profession, Wahida Valiante is a founding member, and currently, the president of the Canadian Islamic Congress. She is a published author of books on theories of family therapy and community issues. She is an outspoken advocate of the rights of Canadian Muslims and also serves as the chair of the Islamic History Month in Canada.

UNITED STATES ali, imam mohammad shamsi Imam Mohammad Shamsi Ali is the imam of three mosques, including the 96th Street Mosque; the city’s largest mosque, and is the chairman of the Muslim Day Parade. He works with Muslims from many ethnic backgrounds and is very active in interfaith efforts throughout New York City. Since September 11, 2001, New York’s Muslim population has been under close scrutiny, and interfaith activities have been both high-profile, and well-supported, giving religious leaders in the city a globally significant role in defusing tensions between religions. el erian, dr mohamed Dr el Erian is the CEO and CIO of PIMCO—one of the world’s largest asset management companies. Previously, he served as the investment manager of ’s endowment fund, and deputy director of the International Monetary Fund. He is the bestselling author of a number of books on international economics and finance. Dr Mohamed El-Erain is the world’s largest bond investor with over $1 trillion of assets under management as of 2010.

124 Administrative

ghazi, drs abidullah and tasneema Dr Abidullah Ghazi, a prominent writer, speaker and poet is co-founder of the IQRA’ International Educational Foundation with his wife Dr Tasneema Ghazi. IQRA’ is a non-profit organization that creates Islamic studies textbooks and educational materials especially for children. The institution has produced a complete system of Islamic education for part and full time schools and a comprehensive madrasah integrated program for the Singapore madrasah system. IQRA’s programs and educational materials are used in the United States, and worldwide. magid, imam mohamed Imam Magid is the executive director and imam at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center in . He is an advocate for youth and women, is the vice president of ISNA, and serves on the FBI’s Muslim, Sikh, and Arab Advisory Committee. Imam Magid was among the ten ‘Washingtonians of the year’ in 2010 who were awarded the Washingtonian Magazine’s award for outstanding leadership, in particular for his efforts toward interfaith bridge-building.

125

Lineage

LINEAGE

Middle East and North Africa IRAQ al sadr, sheikh muqtada Al Sadr is the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadiq al Sadr, and an influential Shi‘a political leader. He has gained prominence since the death of and created the Mahdi Army in 2003, an armed insurgency movement that has formed its own courts and system of law enforcement. Al Sadr promotes a Shi‘a-controlled government and along with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani he is one of the two most important Shi‘a leaders in Iraq. Although there are more qualified Shi‘a scholars, Sadr’s social and political role make him extremely important.

JORDAN his royal highness prince el hassan bin talal HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal is an eminent thinker on development and Islam, and has been recognized around the globe for his work, winning a number of awards for his interfaith activities. In addition to his noble lineage and to his being the brother of HM the late King Hussein of Jordan, Oxford-educated Prince El Hassan has been one of the leading intellectuals of the Arab world for decades, and one of the pioneers of interfaith dialogue. Among his achievements are: founding the Arab Thought Forum (1981); founding the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (1994); and being President Emeritus of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (since 2006).

SUDAN al mahdi, his excellency imam sayyed al sadiq Al Mahdi is the president of the moderate Islamic Umma Party, and the imam of the Sufi order Al Ansar. He was prime minister of Sudan until the government was overthrown and he was forced into exile. Al Mahdi has now returned and is working to restore peace and democracy in the Sudan. He derives a significant portion of his authority from the fact that he descends from Muhammad Ahmad, who claimed to be the Mahdi, a prophesied figure that many Muslims believe will return to revive the Islamic faith.

SYRIA al yaqoubi, sheikh muhammad [new] Sheikh al Yaqoubi traces his lineage back to the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson al-Hasan. A widely revered scholar, al Yaqoubi’s influence has spread as far as Europe, where the Islamic Society of Stockholm elected him as the mufti of Sweden.

West Africa NIGERIA bayero, his royal highness amir al haji dr ado HRH Ado Bayero is the current Amir of . The Amir is the traditional ruler of the Nigerian city of Kano, which is the capital of Kano State. Bayero is a popular leader amongst a wide variety of Nigerian Muslims. He is an influential Tijani sheikh, with lineage back to the prominent Fulani jihadist and religious reformer Osman Dan Fodio. HRH Ado Bayero is regarded as a wise counselor both at home and abroad because of his experience and ability to mediate between cultures, which makes him an important asset in promoting mutual understanding and resolving conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups.

127 Lineage

Europe ALBANIA bardhi, his eminence haxhi dede reshat Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi is the world leader of the Bektashi community, a seven-million- member-strong Sufi order based in Albania. He has been internationally recognized for his active role in interfaith cooperation and for encouraging peace in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

North America UNITED STATES al ninowy, sheikh muhammad bin yahya al husayni [new] Sheikh al Ninowy is the imam of Masjid al-Madina in Atlanta, Georgia and is considered by many to be a charismatic and influential contemporary scholar. Al Ninowy traces his lineage back to al Imam Ibrahim al Mujab, whose lineage is traced to Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. He recently founded an interactive Islamic university, utilizing the latest technology to continue the tradition of Islamic scholarship.

128 PREACHERS

Middle East and North Africa EGYPT abdelkafy, sheikh dr omar Abdelkafy is an Egyptian preacher and da’wa practitioner. He is very well-respected by his peers as a Hafiz of the Qur’an (one who has memorized the entire Qur’an). He is also the director of the Qur’anic Studies Centre at the Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award. As well as working in his native Egypt, he travels abroad to help Muslim communities, working specifically with the Muslim community in Canada.

IRAQ kubaisi, sheikh dr ahmed Kubaisi is a very popular Sunni cleric and preacher in Iraq, who preaches for the end of foreign occupation in Iraq and the institution of an . To this end he is a spokesperson of the Sunni Ulema Council, an important association of Sunni Muslim scholars in Iraq. Kubaisi leads prayers that are televised worldwide from the state mosque of Abu Dhabi.

SUDAN el bashir, his excellency dr issam El Bashir is the secretary general of the International Moderation Centre (IMC) in Kuwait. The IMC is an organization set up by the Higher Committee for the Promotion of Moderation of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs; its aim is to promote Islamic moderation domestically and around the world. The center has worked with communities in Britain and Russia, among other places, to promote moderation among the extremist elements of their Muslim population. Locally it trains over 700 imams at a time with a focus on practices of moderation. al turabi, hassan abdallah Al Turabi is a Sudanese religious leader. He is widely regarded as a moderate and uses Islamic teachings to foster social development. Al Turabi is an advocate for women’s rights, and believes Muslim fundamentalists place prohibitions above social development. He has recently stated that Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir should give himself up to the International Criminal Court for the sake of Sudan.

West Africa NIGERIA katsina, sheikh yakubu musa [new] Sheikh Yakubu Musa Katsina is a popular preacher in Nigeria. He is also the leader of the Izala revivalist sect in Katsina. The Izala, or Jama’at Izalatil Bidiawa Iqamatus Sunnah (Movement Against Negative Innovations and for Orthodoxy) is an activist Sufi brotherhood which calls for a return to the practices of the Prophet Muhammad and a true practice of Islam. Hailing from Katsina, the predominantly Muslim city in northern Nigeria, Sheikh Katsina is outspoken against corruption in the country.

Asia INDIA naik, dr zakir Abdul-Karim Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik is an Indian public intellectual teaching about Islam. He hosts huge public events where he speaks on Islam, highlighting misconceptions and promoting

129 Preachers

understanding about the faith. Naik also challenges leaders in other faiths to public debates that are broadcast around the world on Peace TV—a satellite channel that he helped to found. He is also the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation, which runs United Islamic Aid. In June 2010, Dr Naik was banned from entering the United Kingdom due to ‘unaccebtable behavour’. His public statements on terrorism and Osama bin Laden have contributed to his reputation as a controversial televangelist.

INDONESIA shihab, quraish [new] Quraish Shihab is an Indonesian expert on Qur’anic exegesis who regularly preaches on national television. He is noted as a progressive scholar who teaches Qur’anic exegesis using actual context and simple language. He is an author of many Islamic books, including ‘Tafsir Al-Misbah’. He served as Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs in 1998 and also as chairman of the Indonesian Ulama Council since 1984. Shihab was also a director of State Islamic University, Syarif Hidayatullah 1992-1998.

MALAYSIA ibrahim, dato mashitah [new] Ibrahim is a prominent motivational preacher in Malaysia, and a lecturer in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, who is now active in politics. Sultan Pahang awarded her the honorary title ‘dato’ for her devotion to da’wa initiatives in 2000. Her views and opinions on contemporary Islamic issues receive wide attention.

PAKISTAN shaikh, mohammad [new] Founder of the International Islamic Propagation Center (IIPC), a da’wa organization based in Karachi, Pakistan, Mohammad Shaikh is well-known as an influential public speaker. He has given numerous lectures on the Qur’an and also founded the English-language IIPC TV channel which broadcasts to viewers across the globe. He was ranked 4th most influential Muslim in the world on a public poll by Reuters in 2009. soomro, dr khalid mehmood [new] A member of the Pakistani senate, and Secretary General of Jamiat Ulema-Islam Sindh, Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro is a popular preacher and teacher of Islam in Pakistan. Considered a prominent political leader, Soomro writes for various print media and has authored several books on Islam.

Europe CZECH REPUBLIC omic, imam emir [new] Imam Emir Omic is the religious leader of the Muslim community in Prague which is made up of around 2000 members, mostly businessmen, immigrants, and students. The Czech Muslim community (approximately 10,000 people) is establishing itself in the country on the foundation of prayer, charity, and helping to inform the greater community about Islam.

ITALY pallavicini, sheikh abd al wahid Sheikh Abd al Wahid Pallavicini is a noted preacher from Milan, Italy. After converting to Islam in 1951, he joined the Ahamadiyyah Idrissiyyah Shadhiliyyah Sufi order and is now head of the brotherhood in Italy. His son is Imam Yahya Sergio Yahe Pallavicini, the chairman of the ISESCO Council for Education and Culture in the West and imam of the Al Wahid Mosque of Milan.

130 Preachers

UNITED KINGDOM ul haq, abu yusuf riyadh [new] Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq is a very influential speaker and leading Deobandi scholar in the UK. He has been markedly influential through his work with the Al Kawthar Academy in Leicester. Al Kawthar is a leading Islamic educational institution at the forefront of knowledge proliferation through diverse media forms.

North America CANADA badawi, dr jamal Dr Jamal Badawi is an Egyptian-Canadian Muslim preacher and a highly sought-after speaker on Islam. He is a prolific writer, interfaith advocate, and activist and has authored numerous books on Islam and founded the Islamic Information Foundation in Canada. Badawi is a member of the executive council of the Fiqh Council of North America.

UNITED STATES zarabozo, sheikh jamaal al-din m. [new] Sheikh Zarabozo is an American Salafi scholar who preaches internationally and is a prolific writer on Islamic education. Based in California, he teaches classes on Islam in person and virtually over the internet. Zarabozo is also the author of numerous books.

131

WOMEN’S ISSUES

Middle East and North Africa ALGERIA kheddar, cherifa Cherifa Kheddar is the outspoken president and founder of the Djazairouna (Our Algeria) Association, which provides support to victims of the Algerian Civil War. She is the recipient of the 2009 International Service Human Rights Award for the Defense of the Human Rights of Women.

BAHRAIN al zayani, afnan [new] Afnan al Zayani is the CEO of the multi-million dollar company Al Zayani Commercial Services (AZCS). She is recognized internationally as one of the most powerful businesswomen of this era. She is responsible for the passing of personal status laws in Bahrain that ensure the protection of Muslim women’s rights in divorce and custody proceedings, something she oversaw during her leadership of the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society (BBS). Subsequently al Zayani led the Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen’s Network and in 2010 she received the Leadership in Public Life Award from Vital Voices, a women’s empowerment organization.

IRAN ebadi, shirin Shirin Ebadi is a lawyer who, in 2003, became the first Iranian to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the founder of Children’s Rights Support Association and has defended and supported the rights of children and women. Ebadi lectures about the human rights situation in Iran and espouses a liberal view of Islam appreciated by many Muslim feminists. rahnavard, zahra Rahnavard is an author and staunch critic of Ahmadinejad. She broke convention by campaigning on her husband Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s 2009 presidential campaign, becoming the first woman to do so in Iran. She served as political advisor under President Khatami, and was the first female chancellor of Alzahra University after the Islamic Revolution.

JORDAN husseini, rana [new] An award-winning, internationally acclaimed journalist, Rana Husseini is credited for catalyzing the legal reform against honour killings in Jordan. She is a senior reporter with The Jordan Times, a human rights activist, and author of Murder in the Name of Honour, which exposes the practice of honour killings and advocates awareness of crimes against women.

MOROCCO mernissi, is a Moroccan feminist writer and sociologist. She has done sociological research for UNESCO and the International Labour Organization as well as for the Moroccan authorities. Mernissi is currently a lecturer at the Mohammed V University of Rabat and a research scholar at the university’s Institute for Scientific Research in the same city. Mernissi’s work is significant in academic circles in the field of sociology and Middle Eastern Studies and is lauded by Muslim feminists.

133 Women’s Issues

yassine, nadia Nadia Yassine is the head of the women’s branch of the most powerful Islamist movement in Morocco, Al Adl Wa Al Ihssane (Justice and Charity). She has traveled to Europe, promoting the mission of the movement to the Moroccan diaspora. She often serves as the movement’s spokesperson.

PALESTINE el faqeeh, khouloud El Faqeeh is the first female judge in Palestine and one of the first female judges in the Islamic world for a shari‘a-based court. She graduated top of her class at Al Quds University and has her own private practice.

QATAR al missned, her highness sheikha mozah bint nasser Sheikha Mozah is the wife of the ruler of Qatar, H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani. She is a public figure; advocating for women’s and children’s rights. Sheikha Mozah was the driving force behind Education City and Al Jazeera Children Channel. She holds several political positions, including chair of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development.

SAUDI ARABIA al faiz, norah abdallah Norah al Faiz is the deputy minister for women’s education, becoming the first woman ever to serve in the Saudi Arabia Council of Ministers. She was formerly principal of a girls’ school and was director of the women’s section at the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES al haddad, dr ahmed [new] Dr Ahmed al Haddad is the grand mufti of Dubai and director of the Dubai Fatwa Administration with the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities. In late 2009 Dr al Haddad announced the start of a program designed to develop a cadre of fully-trained and certified female muftis who will be able to issue fatwas and be recognized as leading Islamic scholars alongside their male counterparts. This is considered to be the first deliberate attempt at including women at the highest levels of Islamic scholarship in Dubai, and presents the possibility of a female grand mufti in the future.

YEMEN ali, nujood [new] Nujood Ali is the twelve-year-old author of the memoir ‘I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced,’ published in English for the first time in 2010. The autobiographical account of her forced marriage to a 30-year-old man and subsequent rape and abuse is just one step in her personal fight against the societal injustices associated with polygamy and . Her efforts to educate the world have garnered global attention and catalyzed efforts to address instances of forced child marriage in other countries.

East Africa SOMALIA osman, hibaaq A Somali Muslim and women’s rights activist, Hibaaq Osman is Special Representative to Africa for V-Day—a movement against violence against women. She is the founder of Karama, a regional movement working to end violence against women in the Arab World. She is also the founding CEO of the Arab Women’s Fund and founder of the Center for the Strategic Initiatives of Women (CSIW).

134 Women’s Issues

West Africa MAURITANIA el mokhtar, aminetou El Mokhtar is a Nouakchott-based human rights lawyer and president of the L’Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille, which defends and supports women heads of households and their children. She is also chair of the African Democracy Forum, a network of organizations promoting democracy. mindaoudou, her excellency dodo aichatou Mindaoudou is the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and African Integrity. She has served the government since the mid-1990s, and is the former secretary general for the Network for Rural Law. She has written extensively about economic development and women’s issues. She is one of the most senior-level women politicians in West Africa.

Asia AFGHANISTAN barakzai, shukria [new] Barakzai is the editor of Afghanistan’s first and only newspaper targeted at women,Aina-E Zan (Women’s Mirror). She is also a member of Afghanistan’s parliament. quraishi, colonel shafiqa [new] Quraishi is the Director of Gender, Human, and Child Rights in Afghanistan’s Ministry of the Interior. She has focused on increasing women’s employment in the government and created the Afghan National Gender Recruitment Strategy.

BANGLADESH hossain, dr hameeda [new] Dr Hossain has published many books and articles relating to human rights and women’s issues in Bangladesh, in Islam, and worldwide. She is a founding member of Ain o Salish Kendra, a legal aid and human rights organization.

INDONESIA alawiyaah, prof. dr tuti Alawiyaah was the Indonesian Minister of Women’s Empowerment in President Suharto’s last cabinet. Alawiyaah is currently the dean of one of Indonesia’s oldest and most prominent Islamic educational institutions, the As Syafi’iyah University. She is a prolific preacher and broadens her reach through her regular television appearances on almost all Indonesian television channels. muhammad, husein [new] Husein Muhammad is a commissioner of Indonesia’s National Commission on Violence Against Women. He is one of the founders of Fahmina Institute (in 1999), an NGO that advocates women’s issues using an Islamic framework and reinterpretation of Islamic classical literature, tafsir and fiqh. Muhammad led an anti-trafficking media campaign, which included the distribution of 22,000 leaflets each week in mosques after Friday prayers, along with outreach to village health clinics. His scholarship highlights the Islamic perspective on victims’ rights, the rights of women and children, and the immorality of human trafficking, while emphasizing that victims should not be criminalized and that communities have a responsibility to combat trafficking. zulminarni, nani [new] Zulminarni is the National Coordinator of PEKKA, the Program for Women-Headed Households in Indonesia. The organization supports thousands of widows in rural communities throughout the country.

135 Women’s Issues

MALAYSIA anwar, zaynah Anwar is the founder and former executive director of Sisters in Islam, an organization committed to gender issues and increasing respect for women. She is also a journalist who has contributed to the New Straits Times and the Star, the country’s two main newspapers, and has written a book about Islam in Malaysia. NEPAL siddiqui, muhammadi [new] Mohammadi Siddiqui is a pioneer female Muslim politician, a social worker, and a human rights activist. She established the Fatima Foundation in 2003 to ensure Muslim women’s rights on two related fronts: the personal daily struggle of women against discrimination, and the social and legal practices that influence women’s independence and access to basic rights. The foundation organizes Muslim women’s groups and works with religious scholars and women leaders to educate women and raise awareness of their rights in order to advocate for the practice of ‘actual’ Islamic law and ensure social justice for women. The foundation also publishes books and the Qur’an in the local language; it also provides services to the victims of domestic violence.

PAKISTAN zafar, roshaneh [new] An economist by training, Roshaneh Zafar is a social entrepreneur and founder of the Foundation, the third-largest microfinance institution in Pakistan, which specializes in offering financial services to women and their families to facilitate their economic independence and self- reliance. The Kashf Foundation has disbursed over $200 million and has a national network of 152 branches.

PHILIPPINES busran lao, yasmin [new] Yasmin Busran Lao is a prominent women’s activist and peace advocate who is currently running as a senatorial candidate with the Liberal Party for the May 2010 election. The US government conferred the Ninoy Aquino Public Service Award on Busran Lao for her work in uplifting the plight of the marginalized. She has co-founded various women’s rights and development organizations. rasul, santanina tillah [new] The most recent Filipina Muslim woman elected to the Philippine Senate, former Senator Santanina Tillah Rasul is noted for her work toward gender equality, improved literacy, and Muslim affairs in the Philippines. She has exercised her influence in the senate to open up the Philippine Military Academy to women, among other initiatives aimed at women’s rights.

SRI LANKA ismail, jezima [new] The founder of the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF), Jezima Ismail has been an educator for over three decades. She serves on various international committees on women’s rights and is the recipient of various awards in recognition of her work.

Europe AUSTRIA dirie, waris Dirie is a Somali-Austrian women’s rights activist and former international supermodel. She was appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and founded several organizations, including the Waris Dirie Foundation, to raise awareness about FGM. Dirie underwent FGM as a child and seeks to build awareness around the fact that Islam does not require the practice. She is the author of several bestselling books.

136 Women’s Issues

UNITED KINGDOM janmohamed, shelina zahra Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is a British writer and commentator who gained web-based acclaim for her blog ‘spirit21’. She has recently become increasingly influential in British media as an author and commentator on the issues of religion and gender. Her book Love in a Headscarf has been very popular among Muslims and has also played a great role in demystifying Muslim life to a non- Muslim audience by narrating a Muslim girl’s search for love.

North America UNITED STATES al-hibri, dr azizah [new] Chairperson of Karamah Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, Dr al-Hibri Esq. leads a dynamic organization dedicated to the empowerment of Muslim women by focusing on the egalitarian message of gender-equity in the Qur’an. Al-Hibri is also a professor of law at the T.C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond. kavakçi, prof. dr merve Merve Kavakçi is a lecturer on culture and international affairs at George Washington University. In 1999, she was barred from a position in the Turkish Parliament for refusing to remove her hijab. She is an important symbolic figure for the headscarf issue in Turkey and promotes Muslim women’s rights at events all over the world, criticizing Turkey’s anti-Islamic policies. Kavakçi is also a Hafizah of the Qur’an (one who has memorized the entire Qur’an). mogahed, dalia Dalia Mogahed is the executive director and a senior analyst at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and director of the Muslim-West Facts Initiative. She was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and is the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to hold a White House position. Mogahed has also held high positions in the US-Muslim Engagement Project and is co-author of the book Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think.

137

YOUTH

Middle East and North Africa EGYPT hosni, mostafa Mostafa Hosni is a commerce student-turned televangelist who is increasingly influential for his innovative approach to preaching Islam on weekly programs with Saudi satellite channel, Iqraa. A proponent of moderate Islam, Hosni works at an international private school on character development and cultivating a positive religious identity with Egyptian youth. masoud, moez Founder of Al Tareeq Al Sah (The Right Way) Institute, Moez Masoud is a leading activist for Islamic education and a popular preacher trained in the Islamic sciences recognized for his global influence through media productions on television and on YouTube.

SAUDI ARABIA al shugairi, ahmad Al Shugairi is a televangelist with a huge following around the world. He is at the forefront of a religious revivalist movement that is affecting young people across the Middle East. In addition to his work as a television host, al Shugairi is the founder of the youth-centric coffee shop, Andalus Cafe. With no formal Islamic training and an MBA, his popularity comes from repackaging a balanced understanding of Islam for his throngs of fans of all ages.

West Africa abass, mohammed Mohammed Abass is the president and spokesperson of the Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) for the Greater Accra Region. Ghana has a substantial Muslim population and an active and growing array of evangelist Christian churches, but has not been the victim of much interfaith tension. The GMSA has been noted for its promotion of community activism and successful attempts to engage with the demands of young Muslims, conducting social work and leadership training for its members and constituents.

Asia AFGHANISTAN farid, andeisha [new] A young emerging leader in Afghanistan, Andeisha Farid founded the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO) at the age of 25. AFCECO provides housing, education, health care and vocational training through a network of orphanages around the country and in Pakistan.

INDONESIA amalee, irfan [new] Irfan Amalee created the Peace Generation Program that trains peace agents, develops peace education modules, and promotes books door-to-door. It has since grown into a community of over 10,000 young people who have set up their own training and book-retail businesses from Aceh to Sulawesi. Amalee is also the youngest member of Mizan Publishers, where he established Pelangi Mizan, a Muslim children’s book publication. He was a recipient of the British Council’s 2008 International Young Creative Entrepreneur Award.

139 Youth

PHILIPPINES tomawis, samira gutoc [new] The Mindanao coordinator of the Young Moro Professionals Network (YMPN), Samira Gutoc is also convenor of the Philippine Council for . She is project manager of Mindanao Youth Speak and is very well-connected with the media industry and advocates for her causes on the web and through various organizations.

SINGAPORE nassir, mohammed Mohammed Nassir is director of SimplyIslam.sg, a Singapore-based virtual portal for ‘a new way to learn’ Islam through courses with leading Islamic scholars. Nassir is credited for drawing the attention of international Muslim leaders to the Muslim community of Singapore and for his dedicated efforts in developing youth programs.

Europe UNITED KINGDOM mamdani, mohammed is founderer and CEO of the , a volunteer-based confidential helpline for young Muslims based in London, England that provides a network of community support and counseling services through a toll free phone line and interactive website.

Oceania AUSTRALIA houli, bachar Bachar Houli, an up-and-coming athlete within the Australian Football League has become an inspiration to young Muslims as a devout and practicing Muslim who successfully negotiates his religious identity and commitment to the sport of Australian rules football. Houli regularly speaks about his faith to mainstream media outlets and was a 2008 nominee for the AFL Rising Star Award.

North America UNITED STATES perez, hamza [new] Hamza Perez is a prominent American Muslim, whose story of conversion to Islam and transformation from drug-dealer to Muslim community activist is the subject of a 2009 documentary, ‘New Muslim Cool.’ The film explores the challenges facing young American Muslims in a post 9/11 world and has been widely-screened to international audiences. webb, imam suhaib [new] Imam Suhaib Webb is a student at Al Azhar University in Egypt and has subsequently come to prominence as a young American preacher and activist from Oklahoma. He has a substantial following of Muslim youth who visit his website and attend his lectures in throngs due to his unique appeal and moderate approach to Islam.

140 Philanthropy

PHILANTHROPY

Middle East and North Africa IRAQ al khoei, sayyed jawad Sayyed al Khoei is the secretary general of the London-based Al Khoei International Foundation, an international charity promoting the welfare of Shi‘a communities throughout the world. He spends his time between the United Kingdom and his native Iraq.

SAUDI ARABIA kreidie, dr samir Kreidie is managing director of the Rabya Trading & Agriculture Company. He is the founder of the Inma Foundation, which helps provide humanitarian support to impoverished people in Lebanon. He is also a director at Development Foundation International, an organization which strives to increase American participation in Lebanese humanitarian efforts. al madani, his excellency dr ahmad mohamed ali Al Madani is the president of the Islamic Development Bank, which aims to provide short and long-term solutions to poverty alleviation in the Muslim world. The Islamic Development Bank is the principal financing institution of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Previously, al Madani served as the deputy minister of education in Saudi Arabia, and as secretary general of the Muslim World League. al saud, his royal highness prince al waleed bin talal bin abdul aziz Prince al Waleed bin Talal is an entrepreneur and investor who has built up a fortune through real estate and the stock market. In early 2009 his net worth was close to $15 billion. His philanthropic clout comes from his position among the richest people in the world. Prince al Waleed contributed $20 million to found the Center for Christian-Muslim Understanding at , which remains one of the key institutions globally working on Christian-Muslim relations.

KUWAIT al kharafi, nasser Nasser al Kharafi—one of the richest people in the world—is the president of Kharafi & Sons, one of the largest Middle Eastern companies with an estimated capital of $5 billion. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2005 for his philanthropic efforts and contributions to relief agencies.

Asia INDIA qasmi, maulana badruddin ajmal [new] Maulana Badruddin Ajmal is a prominent businessman in India who runs the Ajmal Group of Companies, which sells attar perfume, oils and textiles. He is a proponent and member of various social service organizations and is also a scholar of Islam, having studied at the Darul Uloom Deoband. Qasmi is also a politician who founded the Assam United Democratic Front political party. He is noted for his contributions to charitable hospitals, orphanages, and educational institutions including a women’s science college.

141 Philanthropy

North America UNITED STATES cheema, dr tariq h Dr Cheema is the founder of the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists, a Chicago-based organization seeking to promote effective and accountable giving. The organization is the premier community of Muslim philanthropists in the world, with a number of high-level stakeholders. Cheema is a physician by profession and in 1998 he co-founded Doctors Worldwide, which provides medical relief in 18 countries. He was formerly the associate director of the Islamic Medical Association of North America. In early 2010 Dr Cheema announced a new global awareness initiative, ‘Empowerment Through Enlightenment’, aimed at achieving the UN Millennium Development goal of promoting gender equality.

142 DEVELOPMENT

Middle East and North Africa IRAQ odhaib, madeeha hasan Madeeha Hasan Odhaib is a member of the district council of Karada, in Baghdad, where she leads a community initiative to employ Iraqi women as seamstresses—alleviating poverty in the war-torn region. She is also a dedicated humanitarian who works with the Red Cross and other aid agencies on local relief efforts.

LEBANON al sadr, rabab Rabab al Sadr is a social and human rights activist and a philanthropist. She is a dynamic thinker and is the president of the Imam al Sadr Foundation, one of the most successful humanitarian organizations working in Lebanon. The foundation’s projects focus on training, development and poverty alleviation across Lebanon. She is the sister of Imam Musa al Sadr.

LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA gaddafi, his excellency saif al islam muammar Son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al Islam Gaddafi is the president of the Libyan National Association for Drugs and Narcotics Control and founder of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, which addresses humanitarian and relief efforts in Libya. Saif al Islam Gaddafi is noted for his ‘Isratine’ proposal for a one-state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. He is likely to be the next leader of Libya.

PALESTINE abu awwad, khaled [new] Khaled Abu Awwad is the General Manager of the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum and Chairman of Al-Tariq (The Palestinian Institution for Development and Democracy). abu elaish, dr izzeldin Dr Izzeldin Abu Elaish is a public health expert and Palestinian peace activist nominated for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. He is an outspoken advocate of a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. abu sarah, aziz [new] Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian activist who is globally recognized for his work on peace and conflict resolution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He was formerly the director of International Relations for the Parents Circle - Families Forum, and co-hosted Radio All for Peace, a bilingual radio show on 107.2 FM in Jerusalem until 2008, when he relocated to the US where he is now the Director of Middle East Projects at George Mason University’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution. Sarah is also a lecturer and writes for major news outlets about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace movements.

QATAR her excellency sheikha aisha bint faleh bin nasser al thani Sheikha Aisha al Thani is the founder of the Doha Academy and board member of Reach Out to Asia, Qatar. She is also a member of the Qatar Supreme Education Council, the highest educational authority in Qatar. She is a modernist development thinker, who promotes a more pronounced and well-judged engagement with people of faith. Sheikha Aisha’s perspective resonates with the more concerted efforts by humanitarian organizations to look at the networks of people of faith as a solution to practical development problems.

143 Development

her excellency sheikha mayssa bint hamad al thani Sheikha Mayssa is the chairperson of Reach Out To Asia, an NGO that is under the Qatar Foundation, that contributes to the development of societies in Asia, including the Middle East, with specific emphasis on improving the quality of both primary and secondary education, in addition to achieving some of the goals of UNESCO’s Education For All (EFA) and the United Nations Millennium Development goals (MDGs).

SAUDI ARABIA bin laden, bakr Bakr bin Laden, half-brother of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, is the chairman of the Saudi Binladin Group. The Binladin Group is a sizeable multinational construction company with operations in Saudi Arabia and over 30 countries—making Bakr bin Laden an increasingly influential power broker in Saudi business capital. obaid, thoraya ahmed Obaid is the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, the world’s largest multi- lateral fund for population assistance. Obaid is the first Saudi Arabian to head a UN agency and is also the chair of the principle inter-agency organization for coordinating management matters within the UN. She has underlined religion and culture as important aspects for the agency’s development work.

SUDAN ibrahim, dr mohamed ‘mo’ Mohamed Ibrahim—more commonly known as Mo Ibrahim—is a Sudanese-born entrepreneur, currently based in the UK. He became successful as a businessman in the telecommunications industry, founding one of Africa’s biggest cellular phone companies, Celtel. He has recently come to prominence for his idea of a Prize for Achievement in African Leadership—which awards the recipient a $5 million initial payment, plus $200,000 a year for life. The Prize was conceived as a way to curb corruption by African leaders, who often resort to corruption to obtain financial security when they leave office, and to promote good governance. The prize is believed to be the world’s largest, surpassing the $1.3 million Nobel Peace Prize.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES her royal highness princess bint al hussein HRH Princess Haya bint al Hussein of Jordan is married to H.H. Amir Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai. Princess Haya is recognized for her efforts in developing initiatives in humanitarianism, sports, health, science, culture and business, as well as advancing the Millennium Development Goals toward the alleviation of hunger and poverty. al abbar, mohammed bin ali Al Abbar is a member of the Executive Board of the and the director of the Department of Economic Development. Under his leadership Dubai has been one of the fastest- growing economies in the world. He has been successful in increasing the financial regulations requiring transparency; making Dubai a more attractive place to invest and do business in. He is one of the main assistants of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of Dubai.

YEMEN baobaid, mohammad Baobaid is a Muslim activist working on domestic violence at the University of Sana’a. He advocates for men to combat domestic violence and be part of the solution to the mistreatment of women in Yemen. Baobaid is also a project coordinator of the Muslim Family Safety Project, an initiative to help victims of violence in the Muslim community in Ontario.

144 Development

Southern Africa SOUTH AFRICA patel, ebrahim Patel is the current minister for economic development of South Africa and a former spokesperson for COSATU (the umbrella organization for South African trade unions). He is important because South Africa’s booming economy is paradoxically leaving behind much of the population; this is because of both the HIV/AIDS situation and also the fact that South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world due to mass migration caused by the unstable situation in Zimbabwe. sooliman, dr imtiaz ismail Sooliman is the founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation. It is the largest disaster relief organization of African origin on the African continent. His organization has delivered over $37 million in aid to 25 countries around the world. The organization has also designed and developed the world’s first and largest containerized mobile hospital, which has been deployed in Bosnia. It also runs 24 development projects in South Africa and Malawi.

Middle Africa ANGOLA drame, famar Drame is founder and vice president of the Associacao Islamica de Desenvolvimento de Angola. It is the first and the only Islamic organization in a country of 13 million people and the only Islamic organization recognized and authorized by the government of the Republic of Angola. It is charged with the responsibility to build a mosque with a school attached to it to teach Islamic knowledge, Arabic and Portuguese.

East Africa BURUNDI nkunduwiga, haruna Nkunduwiga is the secretary general of the Muslim Community of Burundi. He has been working recently to battle the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Burundi with other faith leaders to raise awareness, asking people to ‘stay clean’. HIV/AIDS is a serious problem in Burundi, affecting close to 20 percent of the urban population and near to 10 percent of the rural population.

KENYA khalifa, sheikh mohammed Khalifa is the organizing secretary of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, he is also the head of the as yet unregistered Islamic Party of Kenya. Relations between the Muslim population of Kenya and the broader society, especially the government, have frayed recently with the instances of the demonizing of Muslims as terrorists. There is widespread displeasure among the coastal Muslim population with the national government.

MALAWI chabulika, sheikh dinala Chabulika is the Islamic Information Bureau’s national coordinator. He is known as an Islamic rights activist and has taken it upon himself to present the need to address social issues as religious duties. Chabulika works on health issues, exploitation, and has built bridges with non-Muslims in Malawi. He has also fought against the forced teaching of religious texts to school children.

145 Development

MOZAMBIQUE cheba, sheikh muhamade aboulai Cheba is the provincial director of 139 registered madrasahs (Islamic schools), where pupils start learning about HIV/AIDS as early as six years of age. He raises awareness that the disease is not a divine punishment, and sees mosques as the perfect place for the dissemination of such knowledge. HIV/AIDS affects roughly 15 percent of the adult population of Mozambique.

SOMALIA elmi, asha haji Asha Haji Elmi is a peace activist in Somalia who in 2008 won the Right Livelihood Award (known as the alternative Nobel Prize). She is an activist for women’s rights and formed the Six Clan movement when women were excluded from the peace process in Somalia that involved the five traditional clans. Elmi is also the founder of Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC) and campaigns internationally against female genital mutilation in Somalia and in other areas of Africa.

West Africa BURKINA FASO aboubakary, maiga Aboubakary is the secretary general of the Burkina Faso Islamic Organization for Population and Development. His organization promotes family-planning in mosques around the country. The tremendous growth rate in Burkina Faso has put great strain on the economy there, and threatens to sharpen the already serious problem of poverty.

COTE D’IVOIRE () abdoulaziz, sheikh sarba Abdoulaziz is the leader of the Association Soulatine Pour Les Actions De Bienfaisance. He works in Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso on the development of the Muslim community, and the fair treatment of Muslims. He has been active at major international conferences trying to deal with the problem of Islamophobia.

NIGERIA ashafa, imam muhammad Ashafa is the co-director of the Muslim-Christian Interfaith Mediation Centre in the city of Kaduna, Northern Nigeria—leading task forces to resolve conflicts across the country. He works with Christian Pastor James Wuye to promote peace between religions. Both were injured and affected by inter-religious violence. Pastor Wuye and Imam Ashafa have gained a wide audience and mass interest in their particular story through speaking on the issue around the world.

Asia AFGHANISTAN sarabi, her excellency dr habiba Habiba Sarabi became the first female governor in Afghanistan in2005 . She is a hematologist by profession and encourages environmental reform. In 2008, she was honoured by Time Magazine for her help in establishing Afghanistan’s first national park, Band-e Amir.

AZERBAIJAN bayramov, vugar [new] Vugar Bayramov is a leading economist and in 2009 was nominated for Person of the Year, according to a public survey by local media network, Media FM. He is the chairman of a top

146 Development

economic think tank in Azerbaijan, the Center for Economic and Social Development. He is also an instructor of economics and finance at Azerbaijan State Economic University. His public policy research has been utilized by the government to address anti-crisis programs for development and his papers and books are available in 25 languages across the globe.

BANGLADESH abed, fazle hasan [new] Abed is the founder and chairperson of BRAC, one of the world’s largest non-government development organizations. This organization is known internationally for its focus on poverty eradication and relief. yunus, mohammad Mohammad Yunus is the founder of the Grameen Bank. He developed the concept of microcredit for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. The bank is shari‘a-based but not shari‘a- compliant; it is pro-poor but takes interest. His efforts to create economic and social development and to help the impoverished escape poverty by providing loans on terms suitable to them and by teaching them a few sound financial principles have been recognized by many international organizations including the King Hussein Foundation, Jordan and UNESCO.

MALAYSIA kader, mohideen abdul Kader is vice president of the Consumers’ Association of Penang, which works to secure the rights of every person to basic needs, a clean and safe environment, and the development of indigenous culture and knowledge. He is also a board member of Citizens International, an NGO working on international political issues.

PAKISTAN chaudry, chief justice iftikhar m Chaudry is the current chief justice of Pakistan. He was the former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, and a key leader of the Lawyers’ Movement. The movement started when Chaudry was suspended by President General Musharraf in March 2007, for refusing to resign from his position. edhi, abdul sattar Abdul Sattar Edhi is the founder of the Edhi Foundation; the largest and most organized social welfare system in Pakistan. For over 50 years, Edhi has devoted his time and resources to help the less fortunate by providing a range of services including a 24-hour emergency service across the country through 300 ‘Edhi centers’, which provide free burial of unclaimed dead bodies. He also funds free hospitals and dispensaries, rehabilitation for drug addicts, shelter for the destitute, orphans and handicapped persons, and national and international relief efforts.

PHILIPPINES abubakar, ismael Abubakar is the former speaker of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s regional legislative assembly. He is now concentrating on business and interfaith dialogue, convening the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy. He is from the predominantly Muslim tribe, which garners him a significant amount of respect in dealing with the Muslim militants. rasul-bernardo, amina Rasul-Bernando is a distinguished peace and human rights advocate in Asia. She is the director of the Philippine Council on Islam and Democracy (PCID). She is the recipient of the Muslim Democrat of the Year Award from the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy for her long- term advocacy for democracy and peace in the Muslim Mindanao region. Rasul-Bernando is also

147 Development

a founding member of a microfinancing organization aimed at Muslim and indigenous women— the Muslim Professional and Business Women’s Association of the Philippines. As a founding member of the Magbassa Kita Foundation, she was responsible for raising $2 million to fund the foundation’s program for literacy in the Muslim and indigenous communities.

THAILAND sabur, m abdus Sabur is the secretary general and co-founder of the Asian Resource Foundation and the Asian Muslim Action Network. He is also co-director of the School of Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation in Bangkok. In the nineties Sabur served as coordinator of the Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD). He has edited a number of publications on peace and dialogue in Southeast Asia including Understanding Human Rights: Perspectives from South Asia, Interfaith Conference on the Culture of Peace, Globalization and Asian Perspectives for an Alternative Development and Towards Peace in Multi-Ethnic Asia. Europe BELARUS kanapatsky, ibragim Kanapatsky is the deputy chairman of the Islamic Association of Belarus. The Islamic Association is currently developing the infrastructure for Muslim communities in Belarus, building a mosque in Minsk, as well as renovating the ancient mosque in Smilovichi and the Muslim cemeteries that exist throughout the country.

BOSNIA mahmutcehajic, his excellency prof. dr rusmir Mahmutcehajic is the president of the International Forum Bosnia, and a former vice president of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He has been incredibly important in efforts to heal the ethnic, religious and social divisions that happened as a result of the Bosnian War in the mid-1990s. His projects are some of the most successful at producing real healing between communities. He works in his hometown of Stolac, which is one of the most deeply divided towns in Bosnia.

BULGARIA hadzhi, his eminence mustafa alish Hadzhi is Bulgaria’s chief mufti. Bulgaria has recently been referred to as ‘Istanbulgaria’ because of the importance of Turkish-Bulgarian relations. Hadzhi is important as the leader of the Muslim community in a predominantly Christian state with a large influx of Muslims. Bulgaria’s mufti, Mustafa Alish Hadzhi, has recently been in the news because of a decision to prevent the building of a new mosque; he is taking the case to the EU.

FINLAND ismail, atik Ismail is a famous former professional footballer and a Tatar community leader in the city of Kuopio, Finland. He regularly speaks on television to explain the indigenous brand of Islam of his Tatar community, and debate exponents of more radical interpretations of Islam. He is well- received by the Finnish public who can identify with him.

ITALY qaddorah, jamal [new] Qaddorah is a representative of Italy’s largest trade union CGIL. In 2010, he helped to organize the ‘A Day Without Us’ immigrant rally across Italy. The strike drew well over 20,000 participants and helped to highlight the important role that immigrants play in the Italian economy. A significant portion of immigrants come to Italy from countries such as Nigeria, Morocco, and Bangladesh

148 Development

and make up about 8 percent of the labour force there.

UNITED KINGDOM azmi, dr waqar Dr Waqar Azmi OBE founded the British Federation of Racial Equality Councils and is the former chief diversity adviser at the Cabinet Office and is currently an EU Ambassador of Intercultural Dialogue. In 2001 he became the youngest person from an ethnic minority to have a senior executive role in the private sector, as chairman of Waterhouse Consulting Group. In 2002 Azmi received an OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for his work. al banna, dr hany Al Banna is the co-founder and president of Islamic Relief, the largest Western-based international Muslim relief and development NGO. Established in 1983, the organization provides assistance in over 30 countries worldwide. Queen Elizabeth honoured al Banna’s work, giving him an OBE for his services to the community. boga, nizar [new] Nizar Boga is one of the trustees and directors of The Foundation Training Company, which offers prison-based resettlement programs and other community services. He is a Justice of the Peace, member of the Magistrates Association, a fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and is distinguished for his work with various Muslim charity organizations and social service programs. He also serves as an imam at Broadmoor Hospital and Pentonville Prison.

Oceania AUSTRALIA el masri, hazem Hazem el Masri is a former professional rugby league footballer for the Bulldogs club. A devout Muslim, Masri is a respected figure in his community for his social work with young people.

Central America MEXICO weston, omar Weston is a British convert and the head of the Islamic Mexican Cultural Center. He is a founding member of Organizacion Islamica Para America Latina y el Caribe, the Caribbean Muslim Forum, and Campañia Libertad Religiosa y Derechos de Expression, an active group that focuses on religious tolerance and freedom of religious practices. Weston is the director of Dar as Salam Centre Mexico, Centro Cultural Islamico de Mexico, and Viva Halal which assesses and certifies Mexican companies.

South America GUYANA khan, faizul Faizul Khan has been credited with founding an Islamic school in Guyana at the age of 17 and has played a strategic role in developing Muslim institutions both locally and abroad—particularly in the US, where he is chapter member of the Islamic Society of North America.

149 Development

North America CANADA alshareef, muhammad [new] Muhammad Alshareef is the founder of Al Maghrib Institute, an innovative Islamic educational institution that offers university-level instruction of Islamic studies through seminars and retreats. Alshareef is also the founder of DiscoverU project, an online community that offers resources and life coaches for those navigating financial, marital or emotional obstacles in life. He is a highly- sought after teacher and public speaker. doueiri, dany Doueiri is the Arabic language program coordinator at California State University San Bernardino and co-founder of Islamicity, one of the world’s most popular websites on Islam. He is vice president of Human Assistance & Development International, which aims to promote educational development and relief efforts.

UNITED STATES abdul-rashid, imam talib Imam Abdul-Rashid is the leader of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood (MIB) in Harlem, New York. He is a counselor and advocate for Muslims living with HIV/AIDS and has worked with interfaith organizations and in many prisons as a Muslim chaplain. Abdul-Rashid also has his own monthly radio show. abdur-rauf, feisal Imam Feisal Abdur-Rauf is the founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA), a non-profit Islamic organization dedicated to building bridges between American Muslims and the broader public through educational and leadership initiatives such as the ‘Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow.’ He is also imam of New York’s Masjid Al Farah and author of What’s Right with Islam: A New Vision for Muslims and the West. He has been an associate professor of Islamic studies at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn since spring 2009. butt, suhail [new] An architect and interior designer by profession, Suhail Butt has catalyzed educational development in Pakistan through volunteer work in Kashmir, and by subsequently founding Actual Size Global, a Chicago-based non-profit grassroots organization which raises funds for the creation of a sustainable educational system for children in impoverished areas of Pakistan. Butt raises funds through the sales of his photography and artwork in addition to fundraising events in the United States. clay, mohammad ali is a legendary three-time world heavyweight boxing champion who was crowned Sportsman of the Century in 1999 by ‘Sports Illustrated’. He was an extremely important figure in the civil rights movement in the United States, who used his talent and his wit to draw public awareness to the inequality in American society. He has remained a figure of great influence, commentating on injustices where he sees them. Now, in retirement, he travels throughout the world promoting social justice issues. idriss, shamil Shamil Idriss is the CEO of Soliya, a non-profit organization which uses the latest technology to build connections between young people and communities across the globe. He was formerly appointed deputy director of the Alliance of Civilizations by UN Secretary-General and then took charge as executive director of the Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund, which merged with Soliya in 2009. Prior to this he was director of the Search for Common Ground Organization where he facilitated the first public visit of Americans to Iran since1979 .

150 Development

khan, mansur Mansur is co-founder and Advisory Board member of the University Muslim Medical Association of Los Angeles; a full-time medical clinic which serves the city’s poorest residents, and has succeeded and grown despite the failure of many other similar charitable clinics.

latif, imam khalid Imam is the chaplain and director of the Islamic center at and the Muslim chaplain for the New York Police Department. He posts podcasts of his Friday sermons, which are regularly downloaded in 40-50 countries around the world, and works with many organizations within New York on interfaith relations.

151

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY MEDICINE, LAW

Middle East and North Africa EGYPT el naggar, zaghloul El Naggar is an important Egyptian geologist and scholar who writes and speaks on science and the Qur’an. He is a fellow of the Islamic Academy of Sciences, and is well-respected by the global scientific community for his work on geology. He has published close to200 academic scholarly articles and scientific studies. He also works for the Arab Development Institute.

IRAN ansari, anousheh [new] Anousheh Ansari is a prominent Iranian businesswoman who is chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Prodea Systems, a private US-based company which offers technological solutions for businesses. She also co-sponsored the ‘Ansari X Prize’ with other members of the Ansari family which awarded $10 million to the first NGO that launched a reusable manned spacecraft, in2004 . However she garners most of her influence for being the first privately-funded woman, and the first Iranian, to explore space in 2006. She was lauded for leading a new era that financially advances scientific development while extending participation in space exploration to women and ‘space tourists.’ salehi, dr ali akbar [new] Dr Ali Akbar Salehi was appointed as head of the Atomic Energy Organization in Iran in July 2009, after the resignation of Gholam Reza Aghazadeh. Salehi is an academic and politician who has been involved in developing Iran’s nuclear energy program since prior to the Islamic revolution in 1979. He transitioned to leading the Atomic Energy Organization after serving as a permanent representative of Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Asia INDIA , his excellency dr a p j abdul An engineer by profession, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam is a former president of India. Before becoming president, Kalam was the Scientific Adviser to the Defense Minister and Secretary of India’s Defense Research and Development Organization from 1992 to 1999, during which he led the weaponization of strategic missile systems and nuclear testing in collaboration with the Department of Atomic Energy. This moved India from being a state with nuclear technology to a state with nuclear weapons. Kalam is also author of India 2020, which presents his vision of an Indian superpower by the year 2020.

INDONESIA mumpuni, tri [new] Tri Mumpuni has spent 14 years on improving rural communities in Indonesia through rural electrification initiatives based on developments with micro-hydro electric power plants. She and her husband have promoted a system that combines heat and power as a basis for more sustainable sources of electricity. Her influential work, which offers economic incentives for implementation of the micro-hydro system has been applied in 65 villages across Indonesia and an additional village in the Philippines.

153 Science, Technology, Medicine, Law

PAKISTAN khan, dr abdul qadeer [2009:46] Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, deemed the father of the ‘Islamic Bomb’, is the scientist who brought nuclear technology and nuclear weapons technology in the 1970s to Pakistan which was the first— and remains the only—Muslim country to have nuclear weapons. This has has made him a figure of great international interest. He has continued to use his financial success and stature to improve the quality of education in Pakistan through building educational institutions for metallurgical engineering. Khan also may have had more far-reaching political influence through his alleged attempts to sell nuclear technology to Libya, Iran, and North Korea. rahman, atta-ur Atta-Ur Rahman is the coordinator general of the OIC’s COMSTECH—the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the promotion and cooperation of science and technology activities among the OIC member states. Rahman is also former Pakistani Federal Minister for Science and Technology, chairman of the Higher Education Commission and president of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences. In 1999 he became the first Muslim scientist to win the UNESCO Science Prize.

SRI LANKA marsoof, justice saleem [new] Justice Marsoof is a judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and former president of the Court of Appeals. He is an award-winning lecturer on law and development of legal studies and a prolific author with special interest in law reform in Sri Lanka.

MALAYSIA shukor, dr sheikh muszaphar [new] Dr Shukor, an orthopedic surgeon by profession, became the first Malaysian in space when he was selected as one of two astronauts to be trained at Star City in Russia and subsequently selected to be the astronaut to further Malaysia’s Angkasawan program, which sent him to the International Space Station in 2007. He successfully conducted scientific experiments while in space. His launch also prompted the Malaysian National Fatwa Council to issue specific rulings regarding observance of religious obligations (praying and fasting) while in space. In 2010 Shukor was appointed as one of the ambassadors of Malaysia’s nationwide reading campaign to encourage literacy among children.

THAILAND dahlan, prof. dr winai [new] Prof. Dr Winai Dahlan is the director of the Halal Science Center (HASCI) in Thailand, named the Best Innovation in the Halal Industry by Malaysia’s Halal Journal. HASCI promotes halal manufacturing and service through exhibitions and regional cooperation with Halal Centres in Indonesia and Malaysia. Dr Winai Dahlan is involved in scientific training and has written more than 30 original research articles published internationally and locally. He has also produced more than 2000 scientific and nutritional articles; writing weekly in3 magazines since 1989.

Europe FINLAND el fatatry, mohamed Mohamed el Fatatry, a Finland-based Egyptian entrepreneur, is chairman and CEO of a social networking website for Muslims, Muxlim.com. The online community, created in 2005, has been recognized as a growing private venture, empowering users with a Muslim-friendly environment for cross-cultural communication. Muxlim.com is also the recipient of Finland’s 2010 yearly Internationalization Award. The website boasts over 10 million visitors per month from over 190

154 Science, Technology, Medicine, Law

countries. FRANCE guiderdoni, dr bruno abd al haqq [new] Dr Guiderdoni is an expert on Islam in France, and professionally serves as the director of the Observatory of Lyon. He has written extensively on galaxy formation and evolution, Islamic theology and mysticism.

UNITED KINGDOM al hassani, dr salim [new] Dr Salim al Hassani is a former professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, and the celebrated author of 1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World—a best-selling account of scientific and technological developments in Islamic history. Dr al Hassani also serves as the chairman and founder of the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation which partners with the Abdul Latif Jameel Foundation, a British charity, to showcase the ‘1001 Inventions Global Touring Exhibition’ across the UK, the United States, and Turkey in 2010. khalid, fazlun Fazlun Khalid is the founder and director of the Birmingham-based Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Khaled is an expert on Islamic environmentalism, and has written extensively on religion and conservation. In 1995 he facilitated a conference where all major faiths pledged to cooperate on environmental issues. qureshi, prof. khawar Khawar Qureshi QC is one of the world’s leading experts on public international law. He is the youngest advocate ever to have appeared before the International Court of Justice in 1993 for Bosnia’s genocide case against Yugoslavia. As a QC, a barrister appointed as counsel to the British Crown, Qureshi was one of four specially selected counselors to appear in hearings concerning alleged international terrorists. He was a legal adviser to the Bosnian government during the Dayton Peace Talks and remains the vice chairman of the International Committee of the Bar Council of England and Wales.

North America CANADA kutty, faisal [new] A leading Canadian lawyer, Faisal Kutty is outspoken on issues of human rights, Islamic thought and anti-terror legislation. He is a founding member of the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association and has written numerous academic articles, papers, reviews and essays on topics ranging from national security to religion and law.

UNITED STATES oz, dr mehmet Mehmet Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon who became increasingly influential as a frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He is professor of Cardiac Surgery at Columbia University, leads numerous organizations and charities, and has co-authored books on health and wellness which come up to approximately nine million in print. Oz is featured on Oprah Winfrey’s satellite radio channel and currently hosts his own talk show called ‘Dr Oz’ with an average 3.5 million viewers daily. He is a regular contributor to Esquire and Time magazine

155 Science, Technology, Medicine, Law

qazi, dr mahmood ahmad [new] Dr Qazi is a renaissance man of sorts, having founded the Chicago-based Kazi Publications and the Water-Hydrogen Energy Enterprises Limited (WHEEL, LLC). He has authored various Islamic books, is a successful chemical engineer, in addition to being imam to various communities in , including the state correctional institutions. He is currently developing green hydrogen-fuel energy solutions. zewail, dr ahmed Dr is a Linus Pauling Professor at the California Institute of Technology who won the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research in femtochemistry. He has recently accepted President Obama’s invitation to serve on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In January 2010 Dr Zewail was appointed one of the first US science envoys to Islam. The group of scholars visited Muslim countries from North Africa to Southeast Asia to find opportunities to develop the fields of science and technology in the Muslim world.

156 ARTS AND CULTURE

Middle East and North Africa ALGERIA buhairi, muhammad ahmad Muhammad Buhairi is a prominent calligrapher distinguished in the Middle East, and globally, for his skills. He studied at the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts in Turkey, where he received his ijaza (certification) in khat (script). He has been working at the Institute of Traditional & Architecture in Amman, Jordan.

EGYPT abo auf, dr ezzat Abo Auf is president of the Cairo International Film Festival. A successful actor and co-host of the highly popular on-air talk show ‘Cairo Today’. Abo Auf is also an accomplished musician, having played with some of today’s most celebrated Egyptian musicians. al aswany, alaa [new] Alaa Al Aswany is considered Egypt’s biggest best-selling novelist and a powerful intellectual in current political reform movements in Egypt. A dentist by profession, Al Aswany came to prominence for his 2002 novel, ‘Imarat Ya‘qubian (The Yacoubian Building) which has since been translated into over 23 different languages. His second best-selling novel, ‘Chicago’ was published in 2007. Al Aswany is a prolific writer, with his opinions on social issues and politics featured in leading Egyptian media outlets. IRAN nazeri, shahram Shahram Nazeri is a world famous icon of classical Persian, folkloric Kurdish and Sufi music. Hailed as ‘Iran’s Pavarotti’ by the Christian Science Monitor, Nazeri has released over 40 recordings to date and has performed in major venues worldwide.

JORDAN al baghdadi, abbas shakir al fattal Abbas Shakir al Fattal al Baghdadi is one of the world’s foremost exponents of . He was born in 1951 in Baghdad and has had a distinguished career as a calligrapher and teacher of calligraphy. He adheres strictly to the rules of classical calligraphy and is adverse to ‘modern calligraphy’, especially when its practitioners do not master the art in its traditional form. He is well-known for the balance, and readability of his works. al meheid, minwer Minwer al Meheid is director of the College of Traditional Arts and Sciences at Balqa University in Amman, Jordan, which trains students in traditional arts. The College’s influence is starting to show as wealthy Muslims and others from countries beyond Jordan have commissioned work from its craftsmen. Al Meheid has been prominent for leading the recreation of the famous Minbar of Salahuddin from old photographs and actual remains. In 2010 he was appointed as the director of the Royal Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.

LEBANON assaf, roger Roger Assaf is a convert to Shi’ism. He is a prominent Lebanese director, actor and playwright. With his actress wife Hanane Hajj-Ali, he co-founded Al Hakawati (Storyteller) Theatre Company and the Shams Cultural Cooperative for Youth in Theatre and Culture, an organization providing underprivileged individuals with a forum for self-expression through drama.

157 Science, Technology, Medicine, Law

QATAR husain, maqbool fida (m.f.) [new] Maqbool Fida Husain is an eminent master painter who recently gave up his Indian citizenship due to a public outcry against his paintings which depict nude deities. He has been granted citizenship in Qatar where his artwork is on display at the Islamic museum in Doha, and where his latest work will be the focus of an exhibit themed ‘Form Follows Function—a tribute to the power of man versus machine.’

SYRIA taha, uthman [new] Uthman Taha is an internationally acclaimed Arabic calligrapher. After training with the world’s top calligraphers, Taha began working on producing copies of the Qur’an, or mushafs with the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an. Of the copies he has worked on, over 200 million have been distributed and are continually sought by students of the Qur’an and Muslims across the globe.

Southern Africa SOUTH AFRICA amla, hashim Amla is a South African cricketer. In 2004 he became the first South African team player of Indian descent. As a devout Muslim, he has actively campaigned to remove all alcohol-promoting logos from merchandise and playing gear. bhika, zain Zain Bhika is a South African singer-songwriter and pioneer performer of nasheed songs. He is known for his collaborative efforts with other prominent Muslim entertainers including Yusuf Islam and Dawud Wharnsby Ali. Bhika also writes and directs plays written specifically for schools.

West Africa MALI keita, salif Known as the ‘golden voice of Africa’, Salif Keita is an Afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. His West African music is combined with influences from Europe and the Americas. In1977 Keita received a National Order Award from Guianese President Sékou Touré. His music is very popular in the Francophone world, and more broadly in Europe. Keita’s latest album, La Différence, was awarded Best World Music 2010 by the Victoires de la Musique.

SENEGAL n’dour, youssou Youssou N’dour is a world famous Senegalese composer, singer, percussionist and UNICEF Good- will Ambassador. In 2005, N’Dour received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album for ‘Egypt’. As a cultural icon in Senegal, he is actively involved in social and political issues and is building his own television and radio stations to promote social issues and give Senegalese people better access to home grown arts. His latest campaign was a 2009 song release of ‘Wake Up (It’s Africa Calling)’ which called for open source health applications to be brought to Africa.

Asia AZERBAIJAN qasimov, alim Alim Qasimov is an Azerbaijani musician and one of the most recognized singers of Islamic-folk

158 Arts and Culture

music in the world. In 1999, he was awarded the prestigious International IMC-UNESCO Music Prize. Qasimov has recorded nine albums, and performed in many concerts around the world.

CHINA chengzhi, zhang Zhang Chengzhi is considered by many to be the most influential contemporary Muslim writer in China. His historical narrative History of the Soul, about the rise of the Jahriyya Sufi Tariqah in China’s northwest, was the second-most popular book in China in 1994. noor deen, haji (mi guang jiang) Haji Noor Deen is a globally recognized Chinese master and lecturer in Arabic calligraphy. In 1997 he became the first Chinese Muslim to be awarded the Egyptian Certificate of Arabic Calligraphy and to be admitted as a member of the Association of Egyptian Calligraphy. He currently lectures on Arabic calligraphy at the Islamic College in Zhen Zhou, China and the Zaytuna Institute in California. yue, ma Ma Yue is a Chinese martial artist and national champion of Wushu. His Muslim Hui family’s association with marital arts goes back six generations. Yue is a two-time gold medalist in the National Chinese Traditional Wu Shu Championships and a graduate of the Wushu University of China. His current focus is on promoting the practice of Tai Ji.

INDIA khan, shahrukh Named by Newsweek as one of the 50 most powerful people in 2008, Shahrukh Khan is the preeminent Indian Bollywood star, film producer and television host. Khan is the founder and owner of two production companies, Dreamz Unlimited and Red Chillies Entertainment. He campaigns for better relations between India’s Muslim and Hindu communities. His 2010 movie ‘My Name is Khan’ was internationally acclaimed for its pertinent commentary on the relationship between Islam and the West after 9/11. rahman, allah rakha (a.r.) Rahman is a prolific composer, record producer, and musician for the Indian film industry. He is the first Indian to receive a Golden Globe Award and two Academy Awards for his soundtrack of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. For that soundtrack he also received two Grammy awards. He was named CNN-IBN Indian of the Year for 2009. In 2004, Rahman was appointed the Global Ambassador of The Stop TB Partnership, a World Health Organization project.

INDONESIA rosa, helvy tiana Helvy Tiana Rosa is a prominent Indonesian writer and lecturer in literature at the State Univer- sity of Jakarta (UNJ). Rosa is a member of Majelis Sastra Asia Tenggara (the Southeast Asia Board of Literature) and often represents Indonesia in literary events at home and abroad. She also helped found the Pen Circle Forum (FLP) in 1997 with the goal of encouraging young writers.

MALAYSIA raihan Raihan are a world famous Malaysian nasheed group with four members: Che Amran Idris, Abu Bakar Md Yatim, Amran Ibrahim and Zulfadli Bin Mustaza. Since their coming together in 1996, they have made 11 albums and received numerous awards in Malaysia.

159 Arts and Culture

PAKISTAN jamshed, junaid [new] A former pop icon, Junaid Jamshed left his career as a recording artist with the group ‘Vital Signs’ to join the ranks of Pakistan’s highly respected Qur’an reciters and nasheed singers. The departure from pop music was associated with his participation in the Tablighi Jamaat organization starting in 2004. He has since released best-selling albums of Islamic songs.

parveen, abida [new] Abida Parveen is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, often referred to as the ‘Queen of Sufi mystic singing’. She is the only woman who has reached her level of influence in devotional music, specializing in traditional ghazals, often performing to stadium-size audiences across South Asia and globally. Europe FRANCE deghati, reza Reza Deghati, more commonly known simply as Reza, is an internationally acclaimed photojournalist who has reported from all over the world for National Geographic, Vanity Fair, the New York Times and other reputable publications. He is also the founder of Aina, a non- profit humanitarian organization dedicated to civil society development through education, information, and communication initiatives. Deghati was the 2009 Recipient of the Lucie Award from the Lucie Foundation in New York.

LATVIA uldis, berzins Berzins Uldis is a Latvian poet and translator. Uldis has been teaching Turkish at the Modern Languages Department of the University of Latvia since 2002 and is known for spending fifteen years on the first translation of the Qur’an in Latvian, published in2009 .

NETHERLANDS benali, abdelkader Abdelkader Benali is a Moroccan-Dutch writer and journalist. For his second novel, De langverwachte (The long-awaited one), Benalis received the Libris Prize for Literature. Besides writing novels and theatrical plays, Benali publishes essays and reviews in various media. His latest novel is Hourglass (2010). el mouhandiz, rajae Rajae el Mouhandiz is a Dutch-Moroccan-Algerian poet, singer, composer and producer, and founder of the record label Truthseeker Records. After being the first Moroccan to study at a Dutch conservatory, el Mouhandiz left classical music to follow her own artistic path, seeking to incorporate her cultural roots. Her latest album Hand of Fatima (2009) features ‘Malcolm Lateef Shabazz’ and is an increasingly popular single about her meeting with the grandson of Malcolm X.

TURKEY çelebi, hasan [new] Master Hasan Çelebi is an eminent Turkish calligrapher who is hailed for his classical Ottoman calligraphy style. His exhibitions have been featured globally and he is celebrated for his restoration of calligraphic panels in mosques around the world—from the Masjid al Nabawi in Medina to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. yalçin, rabia Rabia Yalçin is a Turkish fashion designer. Her creations represent a synthesis of local and international cultures and are inspired by the opulence of her homeland’s Ottoman past. With

160 Arts and Culture

her line Rabia Yalçin Haute Couture, Yalçin has a strong presence in the European fashion scene.

UNITED KINGDOM abdalla, khalid [new] Khalid Abdallah is a British actor acclaimed for his performances in the award-winning film ‘United 93’ and the film adaptation of ‘The Kite Runner’ in which he played the lead role. He is an increasingly influential Muslim actor, most recently starring in the Universal Pictures production, ‘Green Zone’ (2010). islam, yusuf Formerly known as Cat Stevens, Yusuf Islam is a globally influential British musician and singer-songwriter. In 1977, he converted to Islam and left the music industry for educational and philanthropic causes. His international fame and high-regard has made him probably the single most influential figure in the field of arts and culture in the Muslim world. In the past five years he has made a gradual return to music with his latest albums ‘An Other Cup’ and ‘Roadsinger’. Islam is a vocal opponent of terrorism and extremism and in 2004 was recognized with the Man of Peace award by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Committee. sanders, peter Sanders is a notable photographer and convert to Islam. He was granted exclusive privileges to photograph Hajj pilgrimage rituals in 1971, and subsequently has become an influential figure in photography as author of In the Shade of the Tree, A Visit to A Prophet, and other books that display his exploration of the Muslim world. yusuf, sami is a superstar in the Muslim music industry. He is an internationally popular British singer-songwriter whose music has revolutionized the nasheed industry. Yusuf’s music is mostly comprised of Islamic themes—about being a Muslim in today’s world. He is also known for his extensive involvement in charity work. His songs enjoy a broad appeal with all age groups in many parts of the Muslim world and in Europe and North America.

South America GUYANA shah, ryhaan Ryhaan Shah is considered among the best contemporary writers in Guyana and the Caribbean, best known for her 2005 novel A Silent Life. Shah is also an active public figure as the president of the Guyanese Indian Heritage Association.

North America CANADA nawaz, zarqa Zarqa Nawaz is a journalist and filmmaker who produced the award-winning Canadian sitcom ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’, a comedy about a Muslim family living in Saskatchewan which has run for 4 seasons and may be adopted by FOX as a series in the US. Nawaz owns a company called FUNdamentalist Films that produces films about Muslims living in North America.

UNITED STATES mehdi, anisa [new] Currently a Fulbright Scholar in Amman, Jordan, Anisa Mehdi is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker who is noted for her National Geographic documentary ‘Inside Mecca.’ Mehdi’s work has been featured on major media outlets. She is the founding president of Whetstone Productions, and continues to work on documentary film making in the Middle East, while focusing on religion and the arts.

161 Arts and Culture

mos def Mos Def—born Dante Terrell Smith—is a hip-hop artist who has recently become more popular for his acting career, which garnered him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He is noted for his stance against the misinterpretation of the Qur’an. zakariya, mohamed An engineer by training, Mohamed Zakariya is now an award-winning Arabic calligrapher whose work is displayed all over the United States. In 2001, he designed the ‘Eid holiday stamp for the United States Postal Service and in 2002, he was featured in the PBS documentary ‘Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet’.

162 QUR’AN RECITERS

Middle East and North Africa EGYPT tiblawi, sheikh mohammad Tiblawi is a popular Egyptian Qur’an reciter. He gained popularity in the Middle East after studying at Al Azhar—the second oldest university in the world, founded in 975 CE—and reciting the Qur’an on Egyptian television in 1956. Since then, Tiblawi has been widely recognized as a leading reciter of the Qur’an and has recited for royalty and at prominent international events.

KUWAIT al afasy, sheikh mishary bin rashid Al Afasy is a globally influential reciter of the Holy Qur’an, and an imam at Masjid al Kabir in Kuwait. He is also a singer of Arabic language nasheed. He has gained international acclaim for his innovative use of technology to promote Islam through two satellite channels, a website (www. alafasy.com), and videos on YouTube.

SAUDI ARABIA al ajmi, sheikh ahmed ali Al Ajmi is a Qur’an reciter from Khobar Province in Saudi Arabia. Prior to gaining prominence for his recitation style as an imam at mosques in Khobar and now in Jeddah, he studied Qur’anic interpretation in Saudi Arabia and subsequently in Pakistan. al ghamdi, sheikh sa’d ibn Sa‘id Al Ghamdi is a world famous reciter of the Qur’an. He has served as imam to Muslim communities across the globe and is currently the imam of Kanoo Mosque in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Al Ghamdi has studied Usul ad Din (fundamentals of religion) and isnad (chain of narration of Hadith) and is recognized as an influential Saudi theologian. al mu’ayqali, sheikh mahir bin hamad Al Mu’ayqali is an imam at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. He is an influential reciter of the Qur’an, which he memorized with distinguished scholars in Medina. Al Mu’ayqali left his career as a mathematics teacher to become a scholar in Mecca and is now a popular preacher and teacher of Qur’anic studies. al shatri, sheikh abu bakr Al Shatri is an imam in Jeddah, and a leading reciter of the Qur’an. Although he studied accounting, he has become increasingly influential for his recitation of the Qur’an at international Islamic events and particularly across the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia. al shuraim, sheikh abu ibrahim sa’ud ibn muhammad Al Shuraim is a leading reciter of the Qur’an known for his unique recitation style across the world. He formally studied Usul ad Din (fundamentals of religion) in Saudi Arabia, before becoming a teacher, and subsequently imam at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. al sudais, sheikh abdul rahman Al Sudais has international influence through his recitation of the Qur’an, which he memorized at age 12. Currently an imam at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, he has studied shari‘a at Riyadh University, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, and Umm al Qura University. Al Sudais is also popular for his sermons and stance on peaceful conflict-resolution.

163 Quran Reciters

Asia INDONESIA ulfah, hajjah maria Hajjah Maria Ulfah is an internationally acclaimed reciter of the Holy Qur’an and is the first woman to win an international Qur’an recitation competition. She has popularized the Egyptian style of recitation and serves as director of the women’s department of the Institute for Qur’an Study in Indonesia.

Europe AUSTRIA podojak, hafiz senad [new] Hafiz Podojak was born in Bosnia and has won numerous awards for Qur’anic recitation. He is active in the community and was recently appointed to teach Islamic religious instruction in public schools. He is a highly distinguished member of Austria’s Muslim Community.

CROATIA alili, hafiz aziz Alili is a Macedonian who was trained in Qur’anic recitation in Sarajevo. He is increasingly influential for his nasheed and more so for his distinct style of recitation. He is currently the imam of Medžlis Islamske Zajednice in Zagreb, Croatia.

TURKEY [new] günesdogdu, mustafa özcan Mustafa Özcan Günesdogdu is an acclaimed Qur’an recitor of Turkish descent who is based in Germany. His participation in interational recitation competitions has made him one of the most popular recitors in the world. He has published a German-language translation of the Qur’an in an album released in 2003, is a member of a nasheed group which performs across Europe and has been a reciter and teacher of Qur’an for over 25 years.

164 MEDIA

Middle East and North Africa EGYPT abulmagd, his excellency prof. dr kamal Abulmagd is an important intellectual in Egypt and the wider Arab world, who holds significant influence over media relations and public diplomacy in the Middle East. Shortly after September11 , 2001 Abulmagd was appointed the Commissioner Responsible for Dialogue Between Civilizations by the Arab League. He is noted as one of the most influential ‘new Islamist’ thinkers. He was previously Egypt’s information minister and is currently a professor of International law. howeidy, dr fahmy Howeidy is one of the leading columnists in the Arab world. He writes for the Egyptian daily Al Ahram, where he is the deputy editor-in-chief, however his articles are syndicated to seven other Arabic publications. Howeidy is influential both through his popularity and the fact that he has highlighted issues concerning Muslim communities outside the Arab world in groundbreaking work on Chinese, Bosnian, and Senegalese Muslims, among others. Muslims appreciate and respond well to Howeidy’s use of Islam as a frame of reference in his articles. schleifer, prof. dr suleiman abdallah Abdallah Schleifer is a Middle East expert who has covered the region for over 30 years. He has worked for NBC and many other international media outlets. A professor emeritus at the American University in Cairo, Schleifer is considered a bridge-builder between cultures.

KUWAIT al mutawa, jassem Jassem al Mutawa is the president of Iqra satellite channel, an Islamic TV channel presenting programs on everyday life problems concerning spiritual, cultural, social and economic issues from a modern Islamic perspective. al mutawa, dr naif Naif al Mutawa is founder and CEO of Teshkeel Media Group and creator of the popular Islamic- themed comic series ‘The 99’. In addition to having authored multiple children’s books, al Mutawa holds a PhD in clinical psychology and has practiced in the field for many years. sweidan, sheikh dr tariq Tariq Sweidan is the CEO and owner of Gulf Innovation Group in Kuwait and the general manager of Al Resalah Satellite TV. An entrepreneur and a TV personality—his shows ranking among the highest in the Middle East—Sweidan is also prominent as a motivational speaker and author of books on Islam.

PALESTINE khanfar, waddah Khanfar is the director general of the Al Jazeera network, a position he has held since 2006. He began his career as a war correspondent and has been instrumental in carving out Al Jazeera’s position as the most watched and most respected news network in the Middle East. The network has recently expanded into other markets with . Al Jazeera’s ethical decision to interview Israeli officials has been groundbreaking in promoting the idea that all perspectives should be broadcast on an Arabic-language news program.

165 Media

kuttab, daoud Kuttab is an internationally recognized Palestinian media activist and journalist. He founded the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University, established the Jerusalem Film Institute and helped in establishing the Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN). In 2007, Kuttab established AmmanNet.net, the Arab world’s first Internet radio station.

QATAR philips, dr abu ameenah bilal A notable convert and Islamic scholar, Philips is founder of the virtual educational institution Islamic Online University and Discover Islam, an Islamic center based in Dubai. He reaches mass Muslim audiences through his television appearances on India-based satellite channel, Peace TV. In May 2010, Philips was the subject of a letter-writing campaign in the Maldives which condemned his preaching as a promotion of religious extremism. He was subsequently banned from entering the United Kingdom.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES al rostamani, dr amina Al Rostamani is CEO of TECOM Investments Corporation, the investment wing of the Dubai Technology and Media Free Trade Zone since July of 2005. Al Rostamani obtained the rank of 80 in the ‘Power 100: The World’s Most Influential Arabs’ in 2009.

Southern Africa SOUTH AFRICA haffajee, ferial Haffajee is editor of the Mail and Guardian; South Africa’s premier investigative newspaper. She was the first non-white woman, and first Muslim woman to become the editor of a major daily newspaper in South Africa. morton, shafiq Shafiq Morton is an award-winning journalist, photographer and presenter of the current affairs program ‘Drivertime Show’ on the Muslim radio station Voice of the Cape.

Asia AFGHANISTAN mohseni, saad [new] Mohseni is a successful businessman and the founder and head of the Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest media company which has interests in television, radio, print, production, online news services, directories, IT&T, and retail. samandar, rahimullah [new] Samandar is the head of Afghanistan’s Independent Journalists’ Association, which serves an important role in critiquing the freedom and limits of the press in Afghanistan.

INDONESIA bagir, haidar Haidar Bagir is the founder and director of Mizan, a large publishing company that significantly shapes the development of Islamic discourse in Indonesia. Bagir has founded and lectured-in many educational institutions, and his philanthropic contributions include work on community development. He has written extensively on Sufism. bayuni, endy m. [new] Bayuni is the chief editor of The Jakarta Post, Indonesia’s largest and most popular daily English- language newspaper.

166 Media

mohammad, goenawan [new] Goenawan Mohammad is a writer, editor, activist, and award-winning journalist. He is the founder and editor of Tempo Magazine, Indonesia’s most widely circulated weekly.

PAKISTAN hamid, zaid [new] One of the most influential television personalities in Pakistan, Zaid Hamid is a security consultant and strategic defense analyst by profession. He is also a popular political commentator, and is the founder of Brass Tacks, a Pakistani think tank on global politics. Hamid also hosts ‘BrassTacks with Zaid Hamid’ on News1 Channel and has been featured on ‘Wake up Pakistan’ on Pakistani satellite channel ARY, as well as ‘Iqbal ka Pakistan’ on Aag TV. Although he has been deemed by some as a conspiracy theorist, he maintains a substantial audience. shakil-ur-rahman, mir [new] Shakil-ur-Rahman is the owner of the Independent Media Corporation, Pakistan’s largest media conglomerate. The Geo TV network and the Jang Group are both under this umbrella organization. Shakil-ur-Rahman is also the chief executive and editor-in-chief of the Jang Group, which publishes a number of newspapers and magazines in Urdu and English.

Europe mirza, umar Umar Mirza is chief editor of Wijblijvenhier.nl, the biggest Muslim weblog in the Netherlands. He is also president of the Al Hidayah organization, which organizes Islamic courses, seminars and festivals throughout the country.

TURKEY dumanli, ekrem Ekrem Dumanli is the editor-in-chief of Zaman, a popular Turkish daily newspaper with close ties to the Gülen movement. He has published five books and has written a play.

UNITED KINGDOM atwan, abdel bari Abdel Bari Atwan is a prominent Palestinian-British journalist and editor-in-chief of the major daily Arabic newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi. An expert on Middle Eastern and current affairs, Atwan is a leading writer and commentator, making regular appearances as a media consultant on major news networks. joseph, sarah Sarah Joseph is the editor of Emel Magazine. She has become influential as a commentator on Islam in Britain through her work as a speaker, publisher and broadcaster over the past decade. Her novel idea of creating a Muslim lifestyle magazine that focuses on the lives of everyday people has played a significant part in changing the expectations of British Muslims with regards to Islamic publications. Emel also commands a readership of interested non-Muslims. khan, rizwan Rizwan Khan—known more commonly as Riz Khan—is a British television news reporter and interviewer of prominent personalities. He gained international prominence while working for the BBC and CNN in senior anchor positions, before moving to Al Jazeera English, where he currently hosts his own political talk show. He was born in the former .

167 Media

nahdi, fuad Fuad Nahdi is founding editor of Q News a leading British Muslim magazine. He is also the director of The Radical Middle Way, a UK-based Muslim initiative set up to promote youth activism, authentic Islamic scholarship and education and the development of a distinct British Muslim identity. omaar, rageh Rageh Omaar is a television news presenter and writer who was stationed in Iraq and South Africa. He was the world affairs correspondent for the BBC from 1991 until 2006 when he moved to Al Jazeera English, where he currently presents the documentary series ‘Witness’. Omaar also hosts a new show, called ‘The Rageh Omaar Report.’

North America CANADA baksh, nazim Baksh is a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television and radio producer specializing in root causes of terrorism. He also covers issues relating to traditional Islam. He is a former Massey Fellow and has produced the international affairs radio program ‘Dispatches’ since 2000.

UNITED STATES amanat, omar Omar Amanat is an entrepreneur, and successful businessman. He founded Tradescape Corporation before its sale to E*Trade in 2002 for $280 million. Amanat is the founder of Summit Entertainment, a production and distribution studio in Hollywood worth $1 billion that created the popular sitcom ‘Aliens in America’. The Wall Street Journal named Amanat one of the ‘Top Ten Most Influential Technologists’. amanullah, shahed Shahed Amanullah is the editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com, a website dedicated to opinions and social analyses from the Muslim world. An award-winning journalist, Amanuallah has also created websites that serve as an online platform for Muslim products and mosques. godlas, dr alan Godlas is an American academic focusing on Islamic mysticism. He is known for his Islamic studies (www.uga.edu/islam/) and Sufism websites that are highly regarded as leading academic resources for research on Islam. gouverneur, aisha Aisha Gouverneur is the founder of the Islamic Texts Society and director of the non-profit, charitable foundation and publishing company Fons Vitae. Gouverneur is the co-writer of The Life of the Prophet Muhammad (2003). wolfe, michael Michael Wolfe is the president and executive producer of Unity Productions Foundation, which promotes peace through media. The company’s first full-length, award-winning film, ‘Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet’ was broadcast extensively as a television documentary after its release in 2002. Wolfe has written a number of works on Islam and also hosted a televised account of the Hajj for ‘Nightline’ in 1997 that was nominated for several awards. zakaria, fareed is one of the United States’ foremost public intellectuals. He is a political commentator, journalist, bestselling author, and TV host specializing in international affairs. He has been editor of Newsweek International since 2000, and was former editor of Foreign Affairs. He has hosted several political shows, his current being ‘Fareed Zakaria GPS’ on CNN.

168 RADICALS

Middle East and North Africa EGYPT al zawahiri, ayman Ayman al Zawahiri is considered the second-in-command, and the key ideological leader of Al Qaeda. An alleged radical since the age of 15, he went on to become the leader of Egypt’s Islamic Jihad. Al Zawahiri is author of numerous Al Qaeda statements.

IRAQ al baghdadi, abu omar Abu Omar Al Baghdadi is the alleged leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq. A reclusive figure whose existence remains in question, it has been claimed by the Iraqi security forces that he has been captured—a report that has been refuted by the American government.

SAUDI ARABIA bin laden, osama The son of a wealthy Saudi businessman Osama bin Laden is the leader of Al Qaeda and is considered the most wanted man internationally for several terrorist attacks—the largest of which were the September 11 attacks that resulted in the deaths of 3000 civilians. al madkhali, sheikh rabi’ ibn haadi ‘umayr Sheikh Rabi’ Ibn Haadi ‘Umayr al Madkhali is one of the most radical thinkers in the Salafi movement. He is an influential writer and speaker, whose influence has lead to an independent faction within Salafism. Al Madkhali’s adherents are known as Madkhali Salafis and make up one of the most significant and influential branches inside the Salafi movement.

YEMEN al awlaki, anwar [new] Al Awlaki is the first American citizen that the CIA has given explicit permission to kill for his alleged support and encouragement of terrorist operations such as 9/11, the Ft. Hood shootings and the attempted Christmas Day and Times Square bombings in 2010. He is reportedly living in Yemen.

Asia AFGHANISTAN hekmatyar, gulbuddin Former prime minister of Afghanistan (1993-1994, 1996), Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has been deemed a ‘Specially Designated Global International Terrorist’ by the US Department of State for links with Al Qaeda and the . He is also founder of the Hezb-e-Islami political party that was founded as a mujahiddeen force against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan but developed into a militant group that is responsible for numerous attacks, including those against civilians. omar, muhammad Mullah Muhammad Omar is the reclusive leader of Afghanistan’s Taliban. A prominent figure during Afghanistan’s struggle against Soviet occupation, he is better known for his support of Osama bin Laden. He is believed to be directing the Taliban in their war against NATO and Afghanistan forces.

169 Radicals

haqqani, sirajuddin [new] Haqqani heads militant forces based in Waziristan, fighting against American and NATO forces in Afghanistan. His group is reportedly closely allied with Pakistani Taliban.

PAKISTAN saeed, hafiz mohammad Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the supposed leader of Jama’at ud Da’wah, Pakistan. He is formerly a professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan. His group is suggested to have inflicted severe causalities on Indian forces in the disputed Kashmir region as well as terror attacks on the Indian parliament house in New Delhi. He is the founder of the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, which is alleged to have organized the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

INDONESIA bashir, abu bakar Abu Bakar Bashir is an Indonesian Muslim cleric and leader of the Indonesian Mujahedeen Council (MMI). He runs the Al Mukmin boarding school in Ngruki, Central Java. It is alleged that he is the spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiyah with supposed links to Al Qaeda; a suggestion he has denied, stating that he does not believe Jemaah Islamiyah exists. Bashir reportedly founded a new organization, Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid in 2009. shihab, habib rizieq [new] Rizieq Shihab is the leader of Front Pembela Muslim (Islamic Defender Front), a hard line Islamic group in Indonesia. Criticism of FPI’s methods has mainly centered on its violent tactics. The FPI has conducted yearly raids during the holy month of Ramadan, targeting night clubs, bars and other various venues ‘not respectful of the holy month.’ The violent raids are often covered by local, electronic and print media.

170 INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC NETWORKS

International Islamic Fiqh Academy; Majma Al Fiqh GLOBAL al abbadi, his excellency abdul salam (p. 124) The International Islamic Fiqh Academy is an agency of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Al Abbadi is the Secretary-General of the former organization. It was set up by representatives from all Muslim-majority countries at the Third International Islamic Summit in 2005 to provide the global Muslim populace a singular legal body. It remains the leading inter-sectarian institution for definitive legal rulings on Islam, and has a particular focus on contemporary social and political problems, and interpreting Islamic law in an international legal context.

Muslim Brotherhood; Al Ikhwan Al Muslimeen EGYPT badi, dr mohammed (p. 50) Dr Mohammed Badi became the 8th Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood in January 2010. The Muslim Brotherhood, or Al Ikhwan Al Muslimeen, organizes political dissent in Egypt, recently having arranged mass protests criticizing the conflict in Gaza; it also demanded an apology from the Pope in Jordan, the face of mounting criticism against the Brotherhood’s beliefs and practices. The Muslim Brotherhood is active throughout the Middle East, North Africa and also in many Western countries.

Hizb Ut Tahrir JORDAN abu rashta, ata Ata Abu Rashta is the global leader of the Islamic political party Hizb ut Tahrir. Having worked closely with the founder of Hizb ut Tahrir—Taqiuddin an Nabhani—Abu Rashta became prominent in Jordan during the Persian when he contested the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; in 2003 he became the leader of the party. Hizb ut Tahrir is popular in the Levant, the former Soviet Union, South and South East Asia, and Western Europe.

The Royal Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought JORDAN The Royal Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought is an independent international non- governmental institute headquartered in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Royal Academy of the Royal Aal al Bayt Institute was officially established by law, with100 leading scholars of Islam as senior fellows, appointed from all over the world by royal decree. The institute’s various aims are to serve the Islamic community worldwide through sound scholarly work, dispelling misconceptions and fallacies about Islam and fostering dialogue and cooperation between different schools of Islamic jurisprudence.

171 International Islamic Networks

Hezbollah LEBANON nasrallah, seyyed hasan (p. 62) Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah is the current and third secretary general of Hezbollah (the Party of God). Hezbollah is a Twelver Shi‘a Islamic political party and paramilitary organization based in Lebanon. Political and military successes have made Nasrallah a vastly influential figure in Lebanon, and in the Middle East more broadly. Hezbollah’s ideology is based on seeking social justice through Islamic ideals. Hezbollah appears at first to be a Lebanese national party, however its broad support from across the Middle East from individuals and communities supporting the idea of revolutionary Shi’ism have made it a global network. It has a significant following in Iran and Syria. Marjaiyya IRAQ sistani, his eminence grand ayatollah ali husseini Ali Husseini Sistani, a Grand Ayatollah and Twelver Shi‘a marja is currently the highest-ranking Shi‘a religious scholar in Iraq and leads the seminary of traditional Shi‘a Islamic studies in Najaf. Since the Iraq war, Sistani has played a wider political role in Iraq. He has been referred to as a key figure in the so-called ‘Shi‘a revival’, for his central place in the Marjaiyya (the community of marjas). Dawat-e-Islami PAKISTAN [NEW] qadiri, sheikh muhammad ilyas attar qadiri (p. 104) Dawat-e-Islami, which translates as ‘invitation to Islam,’ is a Sunni revival movement of the Barelwi sect. Based in Pakistan, this network’s influence is spread over6 continents and 71 countries with a substantial following in the UK. Sheikh Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiri founded the group in 1980. Promoting an apolitical agenda--mainly to spread the message of the Qur’an and knowledge about the prophetic tradition--this network has grown over the years and now produces a 24-hour satellite channel, ‘Madani Channel.’ Tablighi Jamaat PAKISTAN abd al wahhab, hajji mohammed (p. 58) Abd al Wahhab is the leader of the Pakistan-based organization, Tablighi Jamaat, which has chapters in 120 countries. The movement’s Raiwind Tablighi Ijtima annual conference, in the Punjab, Pakistan drew 1.5 million attendees in 2009. With approximately 3 million members attending the annual Biswa Ijtima conference in Bangladesh, the Tablighi Jamaat is an increasingly influential Muslim network from South Asia. Gülen Movement TURKEY gülen, hodjaefendi fethullah (p. 52) Fethullah Gülen is a preacher, thinker and educator, who having assumed the leadership of the religious movement Nurcu—started by Said Nursî (1878-1960 CE)—has gone on to become a global phenomenon in his own right. His popularity and authority in Turkey has been the driving force of a social movement. This movement is widely thought to have brought around the social, and eventually, political changes of which politician Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been the ultimate heir— that is the enfranchisement of Muslim politics in Turkey. Despite his peaceful means of preaching and community organization, Gülen is hated by the secularist establishment in Turkey and has been living in the US since 1999. The Gülen Movement started out as a distinctly Turkish movement but has since spread worldwide. Gülen has schools in almost every corner of the globe.

172 International Islamic Networks

Muslim World League GLOBAL The Muslim World League, or Rabita al Alam al Islami is a Makkah-based non-governmental organization with a representative body of 60 leaders from Islamic countries worldwide. With observer status at the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the MWL is a leading organization in the Muslim world with increasing global influence. Recently, the MWL called for international judiciary action against Israel’s treatment of holy sites in Jerusalem and the 2009 Gaza siege. The MWL has also led high-level interfaith symposiums under the auspices of HM King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. World Islamic Call Society LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA gaddafi, his excellency colonel muammar (p. 54) The WICS is one of the leading organizations working globally to promote the Islamic faith. It has worked largely in Africa on development and spreading the message of Islam. It is a huge network of over 250 organizations with a powerful patron: Libyan leader HE Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

173

ISSUES OF THE DAY

Al Aqsa JORDAN bin al hussein, his majesty king abdullah ii (p. 34) HM King Abdullah II of Jordan is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in the city of Jerusalem. He maintains a unique prestige in the region. He has gone on record in March 2010 to condemn Israel’s inclusion of West Bank religious sites in its national heritage list. The Awqaf and Islamic Affairs ministry announced in 2010 a donation of over 2 million Jordanian Dinar from HM King Abdullah II for projects around the Al Aqsa compound.

Green Revolution (Iran) IRAN moussavi, his excellency mir-hossein (p. 88) [new] “Where is my Vote?” became the slogan of the ‘Green Movement’ that gained speed in the aftermath of Mousavvi’s loss in the 2009 presidential campaign. The movement garnered international attention after millions of protesters went out to the streets to call for a recount and ignited a violent confrontation with the basij forces—under the Revolutionary Guard. The cause reaped global support, specifically in various social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook. Mousavvi has since headed an NGO called the Green Path that comprises six main members and various other reformist movements to demand the implementation of the constitution and political reform in Iran.

U.S. Foreign Policy in the Muslim world UNITED STATES hussain, rashad (p. 121) and pandith, farah Since President Barack Obama’s appointment of Rashad Hussein and Farah Pandith as liaisons to the Muslim world, they have come to global attention. Although Muslim communities in the US and abroad receive the outreach with skepticism, positive feedback from Hussein and Pandith’s initial tasks could potentially lay the ground for improved relations between the US and the Muslim world. Hussein is Deputy Associate Counsel and US envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Pandith continues to serve as Special Representative to Muslim Communities for the US Department of State, since her appointment in 2009.

Gaza PALESTINE omer, mohammed [new] An award-winning journalist, Mohammed Omar has been credited with reporting on the crises in Gaza for major media outlets. He was raised in Rafah refugee camp and despite calamities faced by his family--his father was imprisoned, his teenage brother was killed, his mother was injured in a demolition--he dedicates himself to journalism and reporting on the crisis. He is the recipient of the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.

175 Issues of the Day

Interfaith GLOBAL the ‘a common word’ group This group of 138 Islamic scholars and clerics is the catalyst behind a global bridge-building effort between Christians and Muslims. ‘A Common Word Between Us and You’ is an open letter issued from Muslim leaders to Christian leaders about the common ground between both religious communities, highlighting points of commonality found in the commandment to love God and one’s neighbor; (www.acommonword.com).

Environment NORTH AMERICA/ USA nasr, professor dr seyyed hossein (p. 89) Nasr has tackled issues regarding the environment from a scholarly perspective, leading a movement to use Islamic teachings to help in the fight against climate change. The term Nasr employs is ‘eco-theology’. His is an important figure in advocacy that promotes environmentalism underscored as a matter of religious duty.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES al nahyan, his highness sheikh khalifa bin zayed (p. 114) Al Nahyan is the president of one of the fastest-growing nations in the world, the United Arab Emirates. He is funding the construction of the world’s first eco-city, Masdar, with zero carbon emissions which will run mostly on renewable energy. The cost of Masdar is estimated between $15-30 billion.

ASIA/MALDIVES nasheed, his excellency mohamed As the president of the Madives, Nasheed is one of the most environmentally conscious state leaders in the world. In the earliest stages of his political career, Nasheed was imprisoned for his crticism of his country’s government and became an Amnesty Prisoner of Conscience. Today, Nasheed has managed to make the Maldives carbon-neutral within a decade by moving the country’s energy reliance to wind and solar power only. Time magazine named Nasheed #1 in the ‘Leaders & Visionaries’ category within its annual list of Heroes of the Environment in 2009. AIDS/HIV

SOUTHERN AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA esack, farid Farid Esack runs a faith-based organization in the field of HIV/AIDS. His organization, Positive Muslims, was established in 2000. It offers services from an Islamic perspective and encourages compassion, mercy and non-judgementalism towards all humankind. South Africa is one of the areas worst affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

ASIA/INDIA engineer, asghar ali (p. 102) The Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN), of which Engineer is chairman, seeks to build awareness and capacity among Muslim communities in Asia so that they may effectively respond to the growing problem of HIV/AIDS.

176 Issues of the Day

Houthi Rebellion MIDDLE EAST/ YEMEN houthi, abdul-malik Houthi is the leading figure in an insurgency in the Sadah province in northern Yemen which has been continuing from 2004 to the present day. The uprising has been called the Houthi Rebellion due to Houthi’s leadership. The Zaidi community comprises around half of the population of Yemen, and is concentrated in the north. In traditional Zaidi religious belief if there is no clear leader for the Zaidi community a Caliph can emerge through armed struggle. Yemen was formerly under the control of a Zaidi Caliph; the Zaidi Caliphate ended in 1962. Houthi’s brothers Yahia Badreddin and Abdul-Karim are also leaders in the insurgency.

Poverty ASIA/ PAKISTAN zafar, roshaneh (p. 147) [new] An economist by training, Roshaneh Zafar is a social entrepreneur and founder of the Kashf Foundation, the third-largest microfinance institution in Pakistan, which specializes in offering financial services to women and their families to facilitate their economic independence and self- reliance. The Kashf Foundation has disbursed over $200 million and has a national network of 152 branches.

Hijab Rights MIDDLE EAST/ KUWAIT dashti, dr rola [new] Dr Rola Dashti was one of four women to be elected to the Kuwaiti parliament in 2009 after successfully lobbying for the rights of women to vote and run for parliamentary elections in 2005. She is actively engaged in leadership positions with numerous organizations, as chairperson of the Kuwait Economic Society, executive member of Young Arab Leaders (Kuwait), and founder of the Women Participation Organization, among others. Following her election Dashti was noted as one of two MPs who refuse to wear the hijab to parliamentary meetings, protesting a stipulation that requires all MPs to strictly adhere to shari‘a law—a stipulation which is considered by some to be an unconstitutional oppression of religious freedom. Dashti continues to be vocal as a democratic and gender-equality activist.

Youth Unemployment MIDDLE EAST/QATAR younis, ahmed Younis is the young former national director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in the United States (MPAC). His current job is to create strategic partnerships at Silatech, an organization that recently started to push for greater youth employment in the Middle East and North Africa. These regions in particular have some of the world’s highest youth unemployment rates.

Economic Development ASIA/ PHILIPPINES guiapal, aleem siddiqu [new] Guiapal is the project director of the Young Moro Professional Network (YMPN). This organization is made up of 200 Muslim scholars, students and professionals who are all using their unique skills to alleviate the plight of marginalized Muslim communities.

177 Issues of the Day

Uighur Chinese Relations ASIA/CHINA kadeer, rebiya Kadeer is the de facto leader of the movement for social justice for the 15-million-strong Uighur ethnic-population of China. She was formerly a successful businesswoman and philanthropist in China but was imprisoned in 2000 for leaking state secrets and now lives in exile in the United States. Before her arrest, Kadeer was running the 1,000 Families Mothers’ Project, which helped Uighur women start businesses. She now presides over both the World Uighur Congress and the Uighur American Association. She is well-known for her work in Europe and North America publicizing the plight of the Uighur ethnic group, and is partially responsible for raising the issue’s status both in China and abroad. The Chinese government sees Kadeer as an agitator. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

178 GLOSSARY =

Glossary

Ahl Al Bayt (or Aal Al Bayt): Literally, the people of the house; refers to the family of the Prophet Muhammad. Ahl as Sunnah wa’l Jama’ah: Literally, people of the practices of the Prophet Muhammad and the Muslim community. Al Fatiha: Literally, ‘the opening’, this is the title for the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an which is recited as a fundamental part of Muslims’ daily prayers. Allah: Arabic for God. Aqida: Creed: This refers to the theological and doctrinal beliefs of Muslims. Ash’ari: The school of Sunni Orthodoxy named after the followers of the 9th century scholar Abu al Hasan al Ash’ari (874-936 CE). Azaan/Adhan: The call to prayer. Bid’a: Literally ‘innovation’; this refers to the act of creating superfluous, or non- prescribed traditions in the practice of Islam. It is used in common speech as a denunciation toward those not acting in accordance with the prescriptions of Islam. Caliph: The head of the entire community of Muslims, either current or in the past. Is also used by certain sects to refer to their own leader. Chador: A loose cloth traditionally worn by Muslim women which usually covers the body from head to foot. Da’i/ Da’ee: Missionary. Da’wa: Islamic missionary work; literally ‘making an invitation’ to the religion. Emir (or Amir): A title accorded to a leader, prince, or commander-in-chief. Fatwa: Islamic legal ruling, or legal pronouncement. It is not synonymous with a death sentence as is sometimes thought in the West. Fiqh: Islamic jurisprudence (the philosophy of law). This is the scholarly pursuit that enables individuals to have an educated understanding of Islamic law. Fiqh al Aqaliyaat: Islamic legal rulings for Muslims living as minorities in foreign lands. Hadith: Literally ‘sayings’. These are a set of references to the life of the Prophet Muhammad. There are numerous Hadith, and the practice of verifying them is an Islamic scholarly practice of its own that has been carried out since the life of the Prophet. Hafiz (or Hafiza) al Qur’an: A person who has committed the entire Qur’an to memory, and can recite the Qur’an at will. This is important in Islam because the Qur’an was originally revealed as an oral text. Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca. It is mandatory for every Muslim who is able to do it, and can afford it. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the . Halal: Permissible. A term referring to actions or objects that are permissible according to Islamic law. Commonly refers to food items that are permissible for Muslims to eat.

181 Glossary

Haram: Sanctuary. Hijab: Headscarf worn by Muslim women. Hijaz: The region along the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Ibadi: The Ibadi school has origins in and is linked to the Kharijites, but the modern day community is distinct from the 7th century Islamic sect. It was founded after the death of Prophet Muhammad and is currently practiced by a majority of Oman’s Muslim population. Also found across parts of Africa. Ihsan: Virtue through constant regard to, and awareness of God. Ijaza: Certification. Ijtihad: Independent reasoning, or individual interpretation of the Qur’an. Imam: (1) In both Sunni and Shi‘a Islam an imam is the leader of congregational prayers who may also deliver the Friday prayer (Jum’a) sermon; more generally, a person of authority within the community. (2) In Shi‘a Islam this exclusively refers to a series of people, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, who by lineage are considered divinely guided spiritual leaders. Imamate: The position or institution, in Shi‘a Islam, that is comprised of a series of divinely guided imams. Iman: Faith in God. Islam: Submission to God’s will. Jihad: Struggle. An exertion of effort in any field, not just in war. Ka’ba: The large cubic structure in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, adorned in gold embroidered black fabric, referred to by Muslims as the ‘House of God’. This structure marks the direction in which Muslims pray and is central to the Hajj pilgrimage when it is circumambulated, a practice rooted in pre-Islamic Arabia when it contained idols subsequently removed by the Prophet Muhammad. Khat: Script. Khateeb: One who traditionally delivers the Friday sermon; orator. Khawarij: A group of Muslims in early Islamic history who went against the larger community and became outsiders. A term used to describe political deviants. Khums: Literally, 1/5 in Arabic; a religious tax of 1/5 of one’s income owed by followers of Usuli Twelver Shi‘a to a very senior cleric. Madhabs: Traditional schools of Islamic legal methodology (e.g. Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanafi, Jafari). Madrassa: The Arabic word for ‘school’. Can refer to a religious school. Majles al Shura: Consultative religio-legislative body. Marja/Marjaiyya: The highest position of authority in the Usuli school of Twelver

182 Glossary

Shi’i fiqh. Also referred to as marja taqlid, meaning literally one who is worthy of being imitated. Masjid: Arabic for ‘mosque’. Maturidi: The school of Sunni Orthodoxy named after the followers of the 9th century scholar Muhammad Abu Mansur al Maturidi (853-944 CE). Melayu Islam Beraja: The concept of Malay Islamic monarchy. Morchidat: Literally, guides. Refers to the Moroccan cadre of trained female preachers. Mufti: A Muslim legal expert who is empowered to give rulings on religious matters. Muqri: A reciter of Qur’an. : Follower of a Sufi guide or order. Mursyidul Am: Malaysian term for religious guide. Mutabarrik: Supporter or affiliate of a Sufi guide or order. Mu’tazili: An almost obsolete school of Sunni Islam, popular in the 8th century, that advocates the belief that the Qur’an was created—as opposed to the Orthodox Sunni view that it is eternal and uncreated. Nasheed: Religious song traditionally performed without musical instruments. Pancasila: Indonesian concept of five basic, national principles: belief in the Oneness of God, just and civilized humanity, the unity of Indonesia, democracy, and social justice. Pesantren: The term for Islamic schools in Indonesia. Qibla: The direction in which Muslims offer their five daily prayers; the direction of the Ka’ba in Mecca. Ramadan: Holy month of fasting. Salafi: A movement of Sunni Muslims that places great emphasis on literal interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith, with skepticism towards the role of human. Shahadatayn: The two testimonies of faith: There is no deity but God. Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Stating these two sentences is sufficient to become a Muslim. Shari‘a: Literally, ‘the way to the source’, this refers to Islamic law. Islamic law is not, as is widely perceived, a standard set of written rules, but is rather an unwritten text that is interpreted by legal scholars in specific instances, drawing on the Qur’an and other reliable religious sources relevant to the tradition followed. Sheikh: (1) A position of authority granted to people who are respected in society. (2) A religious official. Shi‘a: The second-largest denomination of Muslims referred to as Shi‘atu ‘Ali or ‘party of ‘Ali,’ the fourth caliph of Islam and first imam in Shi’ism. Sunna: Literally ‘the trodden path’; this refers to the ways and practices of the Prophet

183 Glossary

Muhammad. Reference to these practices can be found in the Qur’an and in the Hadith. Sunni: The largest denomination of Muslims referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah or ‘people of the prophetic tradition and community’—with emphasis on emulating the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Tafsir: Interpretation of the Qur’an, either by commentary or exegesis. Taqlid: The practice of following rulings without questioning the religious authority. This is a core tenet of the Usuli school of Islamic law. Ummah: The collective Muslim community. Velayat-e Faqih: A position of both spiritual and temporal powers in the Republic of Iran. Literally, Guardianship of the Jurists, referring to the fact that while the Mahdi (awaited one) is in occultation, the jurists should have guardianship over the earth. Waqf: A religious endowment or charitable trust. Zakat: The religious obligation to annually give one-fortieth of one’s income and savings to the poor and destitute.

184

APPENDIX =

The Muslim world spans far and wide with majority Muslim countries nestled around the equator and concentrated in many parts of North Africa, the Middle East, South and South East Asia. An estimated 22% of the world's population is Muslim—spanning approximately 50 countries as a majority and speaking around 60 different first languages.

Indonesia Brunei Darussalam Malaysia Statistics: 2008 Islands Cocos (Keeling) Bangladesh rritory Kashmir Disputed Te Maldives jikistan Kyrgyzstan Ta Pakistan Afghanistan Kazakhstan Oman Uzbekistan Qatar Bahrain Iran Turkmenistan Arab United s Emirates Mayotte (France) Kuwait Djibouti Yemen Somalia Como ro a Azerbaijan Iraq Saudi Arabia an Erit re Syria Jo rd st Bank Turkey Lebanon and Gaza We Sudan Egypt Kosovo Chad Albania Libya Bosnia and Herz. Tunisia Niger Nigeria This map is for illustrative purposes only. Dimensions and exact borders of nations may differ from those shown here. those shown here. of from differ and exact borders Dimensions nations may purposes illustrative This only. map is for majority muslim countries Algeria Mali Burkina Faso Morocco Mauritania Senegal Western Sahara Sierra Leone

176 188 Appendix 0.280 1.200 1.950 0.400 0.550 0.617 0.630 n.a 96.680 38.790 97.890 16.000 % 0.580 3.600 0.100 0.750 85.600 82.370 n.a 83.670 2.230 1.330 291 35,597 802,956 345 81 80,000 532 n.a 33,286,817 1,416,509 33,431,795 35,200 Reasonable Est. Reasonable 1,809 375,123 9,626 2,139 134,637,067 604,223 n.a 6,925,448 183,145 284,876 0.330 0.030 1.650 0.300 0.320 0.530 3.030 0.030 99.000 70.000 99.770 35.000 % 0.100 6.110 1.000 0.660 89.580 81.220 0.100 96.000 4.220 1.710 343 890 679,424 259 47 68,711 2,560 20 34,085,590 2,556,216 34,073,860 77,000 Houssain Kettani 312 636,667 96,260 1,883 140,897,061 595,787 310 7,946,014 346,580 366,269 0.200 <0.100 1.900 0.600 0.300 1.000 1.000 <0.100 98.000 79.900 99.700 n.a % 0.100 3.000 <1.000 0.800 89.600 81.200 0.100 99.200 4.200 1.700 208 1,000 782,367 518 44 129,642 845 n.a 33,741,291 2,917,738 34,049,954 n.a Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW 312 312,603 19,000 2,282 140,928,519 595,640 310 8,210,881 344,938 364,127 104,001 2,966,458 41,177,224 86,315 14,637 12,964,246 84,475 66,119 34,429,889 3,651,737 34,152,411 220,000 Total Population Total 311,962 10,420,088 9,626,032 285,253 157,286,293 733,547 310,181 8,277,098 8,212,800 21,419,227 Aruba Armenia Argentina Antigua and Barbuda Anguilla Angola Andorra American Samoa Algeria Albania Afghanistan Abkhazia Country / Territory Country Belize Belgium Belarus Barbados Bangladesh Bahrain Bahamas, The Bahamas, Azerbaijan Austria Australia Australasia Caribbean Western Asia Western South America South Caribbean Caribbean Middle AfricaMiddle Southern Europe Polynesia Northern AfricaNorthern Southern Europe Southern Asia Western Asia Western United Nations Nations United subregions Central America Western Europe Western Eastern Europe Caribbean Southern Asia Western Asia Western Caribbean Western Asia Western Western Europe Western Oceania North America North Asia South America South North America North North America North Africa Europe Oceania Africa Europe Asia Asia Continent North America North Europe Europe North America North Asia Asia North America North Asia Europe

189 Appendix 3.900 3.000 50.000 11.870 64.370 0.100 0.200 60.060 0.020 4.000 n.a 20.030 % 0.071 1.500 2.000 0.030 55.000 15.600 0.190 2.770 1.600 25.000 571,418 275,070 8,022,900 851,050 252,577 200,203 4,029 2,776,598 1,976 27,861 n.a 1,793,210 Reasonable Est. Reasonable 400 106,151 26,880,698 5,007 5,753,234 710,228 95 11,937 538,492 4,783,260 1.920 1.580 60.530 12.200 67.170 0.020 0.420 42.750 0.010 5.000 0.970 24.420 % n.a n.a 4.020 0.020 53.860 10.000 0.770 2.770 1.960 20.000 281,313 144,870 9,712,522 874,710 263,564 40,041 8,461 1,976,350 988 34,826 661 2,186,230 Houssain Kettani n.a n.a 54,030,203 3,338 5,633,985 455,274 383 11,937 659,652 3,826,608 1.600 2.000 59.000 12.200 67.200 0.100 0.400 40.000 <0.100 1.000 0.800 24.400 % <0.100 <1.000 1.600 <0.100 55.800 8.900 0.200 <1.000 2.000 17.900 234,428 183,380 9,467,021 874,710 263,681 200,203 8,058 1,849,216 2,000 6,965 545 2,184,439 Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW n.a 7,000 21,504,558 4,000 5,836,918 405,194 100 1,000 673,115 3,424,814 14,651,737 9,169,015 16,045,799 7,169,757 392,383 200,202,861 2,014,579 4,623,040 9,881,429 696,528 68,108 8,952,619 Total Population Total 566,718 7,076,719 1,344,034,901 16,691,365 10,460,426 4,552,742 49,754 430,950 33,655,727 19,133,039 Cambodia Burundi Burkina Faso Bulgaria Brunei Brazil Botswana Bosnia and Herzegovina Bolivia Bhutan Bermuda Benin Country / Territory Country China, Macao China, China, Hong Kong Hong China, China Chile Chad Central African Republic Cayman Islands Cayman Cape Verde Canada Cameroon Middle AfricaMiddle Southeastern Asia Middle AfricaMiddle Western Africa Western Eastern Europe Southeastern Asia South America South Southern Africa Southern Europe South America South Southern Asia Northern AmericaNorthern Western Africa Western United Nations Nations United subregions Eastern Asia Eastern Asia Eastern Asia South America South Middle AfricaMiddle Middle AfricaMiddle Caribbean Western Africa Western Northern AmericaNorthern Africa Asia Africa Africa Europe Asia South America South Africa Europe South America South Asia North America North Africa Continent Asia Asia Asia South America South Africa Africa North America North Africa North America North

190 Appendix 0.500 0.080 3.000 38.600 0.012 n.a 1.300 1.100 98.070 0.110 51.300 27.000 % 0.600 n.a 86.520 0.020 0.020 0.200 93.900 3.020 0.200 98.700 3,996 9,174 134,641 8,062,216 500 n.a 53,047 770,503 750,460 50,634 306 379 Reasonable Est. Reasonable 3,864 n.a 72,606,779 2,941 1,948 146 490,226 166,401 20,413 261,654 0.610 0.060 1.280 38.670 0.010 0.100 2.000 9.000 99.000 0.020 n.a n.a % 1.000 0.020 94.120 0.020 0.120 0.200 99.000 3.930 0.200 99.600 4,876 6,881 57,447 8,076,837 429 12 81,611 6,304,119 757,577 9,206 n.a n.a Houssain Kettani 6,439 1,452 78,984,629 2,941 11,686 146 516,851 216,542 20,413 264,040 22.700 0.100 <1.000 36.700 <1.000 <0.100 1.600 1.400 98.300 <1.000 n.a n.a % 4.000 <0.100 94.600 <0.100 <0.100 0.100 96.900 2.000 <0.100 n.a 181,437 11,468 18,000 7,665,371 n.a n.a 65,289 980,641 752,220 14,000 n.a n.a Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW 25,757 2,000 79,387,440 2,000 2,000 73 505,888 110,199 1,000 n.a 799,283 11,467,816 4,488,031 20,886,570 4,289,381 11,630 4,080,532 70,045,766 765,229 46,030,584 596 1,402 Total Population Total 643,937 7,258,417 83,919,070 14,707,253 9,738,295 72,754 522,072 5,509,962 10,206,264 265,100 Cyprus Cuba Croatia Cote d’Ivoire Cote Costa Rica Costa Cook Islands Cook Congo, Republic of Republic the Congo, Comoros Colombia Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Keeling) Cocos Christmas Island Country / Territory Country Equatorial Guinea Equatorial El Salvador Egypt Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Dominica Djibouti Denmark Czech Republic Czech Congo, Democratic Republic of Democratic Republic the Congo, Northern Cyprus, Western Asia Western Western Asia Western Caribbean Southern Europe Western Africa Western Central America Polynesia Middle AfricaMiddle Middle AfricaMiddle Eastern Africa South America South Australasia Australasia United Nations Nations United subregions Middle AfricaMiddle Central America Northern AfricaNorthern South America South Caribbean Caribbean Eastern Africa Northern Europe Northern Eastern Europe Asia Asia North America North Europe Africa North America North Oceania Africa Africa Africa South America South Oceania Oceania Continent Africa North America North Africa South America South North America North North America North Africa Europe Europe

191 Appendix 88.800 6.500 n.a 1.900 10.000 0.180 7.000 n.a n.a 31.000 0.700 50.000 % 0.009 n.a 0.400 0.300 n.a 3.300 8.500 21.000 3.700 20.000 1,609,151 99,641 n.a 4,294 6,427,401 9,456 66,690 n.a n.a 26,944,112 9,060 2,868,291 Reasonable Est. Reasonable 1,200 n.a 1,860 273 n.a 354,618 2,385 5,062,567 3,045,266 921,292 90.000 12.000 0.010 n.a 9.770 0.020 6.270 n.a 0.300 33.880 0.120 50.000 % 0.010 0.030 n.a 0.090 n.a 2.920 4.010 15.900 5.210 9.920 1,630,896 183,952 29 n.a 6,279,571 1,051 59,736 n.a 9 29,447,307 1,553 2,868,291 Houssain Kettani 1,345 54 n.a 82 n.a 313,783 1,125 3,833,087 4,288,064 456,961 95.000 9.500 <0.100 0.900 6.000 0.500 6.300 <0.100 <0.100 33.900 0.100 36.500 % <0.100 <0.100 0.400 0.300 <0.100 3.000 4.000 15.900 5.000 9.900 1,721,502 145,629 n.a 2,034 3,856,441 26,267 60,021 n.a n.a 29,464,690 1,294 2,093,852 Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW 1,000 n.a 1,860 273 n.a 322,380 1,122 3,833,087 4,115,225 456,039 1,812,107 1,532,937 289,481 226,000 64,274,009 5,253,497 952,721 48,976 3,140 86,916,490 1,294,347 5,736,582 Total Population Total 13,445,176 178,430 465,000 91,001 57,621 10,745,994 28,053 24,107,463 82,304,495 4,606,459 Gambia Gabon French Polynesia French French Guiana French France Finland Fiji Faroe Islands Faroe Ethiopia Estonia Eritrea Country / Territory Country Guatemala Guam Guadeloupe Grenada Greenland Greece Gibraltar Ghana Germany Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (Islas Islands Falkland Georgia Western Asia Western Western Africa Western Middle AfricaMiddle Polynesia South America South Western Europe Western Northern Europe Northern Melanesia Northern Europe Northern South America South Eastern Africa Northern Europe Northern Eastern Africa United Nations Nations United subregions Central America Micronesia Caribbean Caribbean Northern AmericaNorthern Southern Europe Southern Europe Western Africa Western Western Europe Western Asia Africa Africa Oceania South America South Europe Europe Oceania Europe South America South Africa Europe Africa Continent North America North Oceania North America North North America North North America North Europe Europe Africa Europe

192 Appendix 96.850 99.020 80.300 12.500 0.040 0.100 0.160 0.040 10.000 43.000 85.410 0.121 % 8.000 60.500 96.190 0.436 0.120 0.200 2.400 14.600 n.a 0.010 28,465,698 66,133,516 194,287,858 147,146,418 123 9,890 12,619 3,655 77,315 667,781 8,726,007 80 Reasonable Est. Reasonable 3,171,732 9,338,958 6,185,904 400 152,317 5,678 1,394,601 1,066,944 n.a 423 95.830 99.430 88.220 13.430 0.430 0.030 0.030 0.060 7.190 45.000 85.000 0.100 % 10.000 70.000 95.490 0.100 0.080 0.040 2.190 16.500 0.200 0.760 28,165,904 66,407,347 213,450,496 158,094,112 1,325 2,967 2,366 5,483 55,590 698,841 8,684,119 66 Houssain Kettani 3,964,665 10,805,406 6,140,887 92 101,544 1,136 1,272,573 1,205,793 154 32,164 99.000 99.400 88.200 13.400 0.100 0.200 0.100 <0.100 7.200 42.200 84.400 n.a % 7.000 56.400 98.200 n.a 0.100 <0.100 <1.000 16.700 0.200 0.500 29,097,616 66,387,311 213,402,106 157,740,960 308 19,780 7,887 2,000 55,667 655,358 8,622,819 n.a Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW 2,775,265 8,706,070 6,315,165 n.a 126,931 1,000 36,000 1,220,409 154 21,160 29,391,531 66,788,039 241,952,501 1,177,171,346 308,087 9,889,790 7,886,590 9,137,566 773,151 1,552,980 10,216,610 65,955 Total Population Total 39,646,649 15,436,294 6,430,922 91,744 126,930,502 2,839,108 58,108,376 7,307,838 76,756 4,232,090 Iraq Iran Indonesia India Iceland Hungary Honduras Haiti Guyana Guinea Bissau Guinea Guinea Guernsey Country / Territory Country Kenya Kazakhstan Jordan Jersey Japan Jamaica Italy Israel Isle ofIsle Man Ireland Northern Europe Northern Western Asia Western Southern Asia Southeastern Asia Southern Asia Northern Europe Northern Eastern Europe Central America Caribbean South America South Western Africa Western Western Africa Western Northern Europe Northern United Nations Nations United subregions Eastern Africa Central Asia Western Asia Western Northern Europe Northern Eastern Asia Caribbean Southern Europe Western Asia Western Northern Europe Northern Europe Asia Asia Asia Asia Europe Europe North America North North America North South America South Africa Africa Europe Continent Africa Asia Asia Europe Asia North America North Europe Asia Europe

193 Appendix 96.960 13.000 0.010 59.760 0.380 1.100 78.080 87.430 85.390 0.070 n.a n.a % 1.100 87.000 99.410 58.000 17.000 6.000 25.000 1.100 0.140 3.430 6,200,080 454,764 213 2,416,969 8,448 76,255 4,277,546 2,404,140 1,541,151 34,013 n.a n.a Reasonable Est. Reasonable 4,468 11,207,618 393,585 15,072,614 2,461,259 1,262,028 517,504 5,448 4,969 1,197 99.970 12.220 0.210 56.000 0.010 0.020 80.000 91.510 89.600 0.500 0.010 0.110 % 0.740 90.000 100.000 60.360 12.810 15.000 33.330 2.050 0.080 4.780 6,392,554 427,478 4,478 2,264,898 222 1,386 4,382,732 2,516,331 1,617,135 242,947 2,272 126 Houssain Kettani 3,006 11,594,087 395,921 15,685,913 1,854,631 3,155,071 689,936 10,154 2,839 1,669 96.600 12.200 <0.100 59.300 <1.000 <0.100 86.300 95.000 89.600 0.100 <0.100 <0.100 % 0.200 92.500 98.400 60.400 12.800 1.100 33.300 3.000 0.100 4.800 6,177,060 426,779 1,000 2,398,365 2,000 2,000 4,727,872 2,612,299 1,617,135 48,589 2,000 n.a Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW 812 11,916,145 389,586 15,696,308 1,853,183 231,372 689,315 14,859 3,549 1,676 6,394,472 3,498,186 2,132,388 4,044,460 2,223,149 6,932,257 5,478,415 2,749,788 1,804,838 48,589,351 22,723,766 114,401 Total Population Total 406,160 12,882,319 395,921 25,987,265 14,477,996 21,033,808 2,070,016 495,306 3,549,070 34,910 Libya Liberia Lesotho Lebanon Latvia Laos Kyrgyzstan Kuwait Kosovo Korea, South Korea, Korea, North Korea, Kiribati Country / Territory Country Malta Mali Maldives Malaysia Malawi Madagascar Macedonia Luxembourg Lithuania Liechtenstein Western Europe Western Northern AfricaNorthern Western Africa Western Southern Africa Western Asia Western Northern Europe Northern Southeastern Asia Central Asia Western Asia Western Southern Europe Eastern Asia Eastern Asia Micronesia United Nations Nations United subregions Southern Europe Western Africa Western Southern Asia Southeastern Asia Eastern Africa Eastern Africa Southern Europe Western Europe Western Northern Europe Northern Europe Africa Africa Africa Asia Europe Asia Asia Asia Europe Asia Asia Oceania Continent Europe Africa Asia Asia Africa Africa Europe Europe Europe

194 Appendix n.a 16.200 4.000 0.500 0.200 n.a 0.030 96.500 16.300 99.840 0.500 n.a % 0.460 3.500 0.310 5.400 5.000 n.a 3.000 3.800 18.100 99.850 n.a 108,325 122,758 165 8,637 n.a 33,595 220,333 210,337 3,170,498 2,025 n.a Reasonable Est. Reasonable 19,494 8,016 707 904,935 1,439,388 n.a 63,629 1,837,990 3,965,225 35,123,219 0.100 17.740 4.350 1.800 0.500 0.020 0.010 97.000 16.650 99.990 n.a 0.020 % 0.900 4.000 0.530 5.800 4.200 0.010 1.000 10.000 17.650 99.070 5 118,623 133,499 595 21,593 21 11,198 221,474 214,854 3,175,261 n.a 13 Houssain Kettani 38,140 9,161 1,209 971,967 1,209,086 1 21,210 4,836,817 3,866,642 34,848,846 0.100 17.700 5.000 0.400 0.500 <0.100 <1.000 98.400 16.600 99.100 0.200 <0.100 % 0.900 2.800 0.200 5.700 4.200 <0.100 0.400 3.800 22.800 99.000 5 118,355 153,448 132 21,593 n.a 110,000 224,671 214,208 3,146,999 810 n.a Muslim Percentage Estimations Muslim Percentage Forum PEW 38,140 6,413 456 955,209 1,209,086 n.a 8,484 1,837,990 4,994,869 34,824,223 5,109 668,674 3,068,951 33,044 4,318,627 107,276 111,983,020 228,324 1,290,412 3,175,579 405,000 65,346 Total Population Total 4,237,724 229,027 228,066 16,758,059 28,787,752 14,170 2,120,959 48,368,169 21,907,319 35,175,983 Montserrat Montenegro Mongolia Monaco Moldova Micronesia, Federated States of States Federated Micronesia, Mexico Mayotte Mauritania Martinique Marshall Islands Marshall Country / Territory Country New Zealand New New Caledonia New Netherlands Antilles Netherlands Netherlands Nepal Nauru Namibia (Burma) Myanmar Mozambique Morocco Northern AfricaNorthern Caribbean Southern Europe Eastern Asia Western Europe Western Eastern Europe Micronesia Central America Eastern Africa Eastern Africa Western Africa Western Caribbean Micronesia United Nations Nations United subregions Australasia Melanesia Caribbean Western Europe Western Southern Asia Micronesia Southern Africa Southeastern Asia Eastern Africa Africa North America North Europe Asia Europe Europe Oceania North America North Africa Africa Africa North America North Oceania Continent Oceania Oceania North America North Europe Asia Oceania Africa Asia Africa

195 United Nations Muslim Percentage Estimations Continent Country / Territory Total Population 196 subregions PEW Forum % Houssain Kettani % Reasonable Est. %

North America Central America Nicaragua 5,955,553 1,000 <0.100 596 0.010 1,200 0.020

Africa Western Africa Niger 15,651,930 15,432,803 98.600 15,424,977 98.550 15,274,718 97.590

Africa Western Africa Nigeria 151,060,724 76,134,605 50.400 71,300,662 47.200 75,530,362 50.000

Oceania Polynesia Niue 1,398 n.a <0.100 n.a n.a n.a n.a

Oceania Australasia Norfolk Island 2,141 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a

Oceania Micronesia Northern Mariana Islands 89,908 629 0.700 1,133 1.260 n.a n.a

Europe Northern Europe Norway 4,670,264 46,703 1.000 86,400 1.850 48,571 1.040

Asia Western Asia Oman 3,483,952 3,055,426 87.700 3,309,754 95.000 3,228,230 92.660

Asia Western Asia Ossetia, South 70,000 n.a n.a 24,500 35.000 n.a n.a Appendix Asia Southern Asia Pakistan 178,352,070 171,753,043 96.300 172,109,748 96.500 171,360,669 96.080

Oceania Micronesia Palau 20,851 n.a <0.100 523 2.510 n.a n.a

Asia Western Asia Palestinian Territory, Occupied 4,077,899 3,996,341 98.000 3,977,583 97.540 3,529,829 86.560

North America Central America Panama 3,391,409 23,740 0.700 11,870 0.350 118,699 3.500

Oceania Melanesia Papua New Guinea 6,134,212 2,000 <0.100 2,454 0.040 4,000 0.065

South America South America Paraguay 7,096,975 1,000 <0.100 3,548 0.050 3,548 0.050

South America South America Peru 29,769,998 1,000 <0.100 2,977 0.010 1,000 0.003

Asia Southeastern Asia Philippines 99,155,114 5,056,911 5.100 5,017,249 5.060 4,957,756 5.000

Oceania Polynesia Pitcairn Islands 48 n.a <0.100 n.a n.a n.a n.a

Europe Eastern Europe Poland 38,471,111 48,000 <1.000 26,930 0.070 3,847 0.010

Europe Southern Europe Portugal 10,726,324 10,726 0.100 15,017 0.140 53,632 0.500

North America Caribbean Puerto Rico 3,979,306 1,000 <0.100 5,173 0.130 5,173 0.130

Asia Western Asia Qatar 838,194 649,600 77.500 649,936 77.540 665,777 79.430

Africa Eastern Africa Reunion 827,000 34,734 4.200 n.a n.a 17,781 2.150 United Nations Muslim Percentage Estimations Continent Country / Territory Total Population subregions PEW Forum % Houssain Kettani % Reasonable Est. %

Europe Eastern Europe Romania 22,194,971 66,585 0.300 68,804 0.310 221,950 1.000

Europe Eastern Europe Russia 139,637,314 16,337,566 11.700 22,118,551 15.840 14,243,006 10.200

Africa Eastern Africa Rwanda 10,651,965 191,735 1.800 193,866 1.820 1,118,456 10.500

North America Caribbean Saint Barthelemy 7,448 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a

Africa Western Africa Saint Helena 7,658 n.a <0.100 8 0.100 n.a n.a

North America Caribbean Saint Kitts and Nevis 40,340 40 0.100 44 0.110 n.a n.a

North America Caribbean Saint Lucia 160,680 161 0.100 225 0.140 803 0.500

North America Caribbean Saint Martin 29,820 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a

North America Northern America Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7,055 14 0.200 14 0.200 n.a n.a Appendix North America Caribbean Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 104,356 1,565 1.500 21 0.020 1,044 1.000

Oceania Polynesia Samoa 221,821 n.a <0.100 89 0.040 n.a n.a

Europe Southern Europe San Marino 30,538 n.a <0.100 15 0.050 n.a n.a

Africa Middle Africa Sao Tome and Principe 216,712 n.a <0.100 87 0.040 650 0.300

Asia Western Asia Saudi Arabia 29,012,325 28,141,955 97.000 27,561,709 95.000 26,932,141 92.830

Africa Western Africa Senegal 13,939,638 13,382,052 96.000 13,075,380 93.800 12,834,225 92.070

Europe Southern Europe Serbia 7,358,054 235,458 3.200 235,458 3.200 183,951 2.500

Africa Eastern Africa Seychelles 88,013 968 1.100 933 1.060 185 0.210

Africa Western Africa Sierra Leone 6,530,164 4,656,007 71.300 4,897,623 75.000 4,571,115 70.000

Asia Southeastern Asia Singapore 4,686,125 698,233 14.900 698,233 14.900 698,233 14.900

Europe Eastern Europe Slovakia 5,467,740 n.a <0.100 4,921 0.090 1,094 0.020

Europe Southern Europe Slovenia 2,004,338 48,104 2.400 48,505 2.420 31,067 1.550 197

Oceania Melanesia Solomon Islands 604,349 n.a <0.100 544 0.090 350 0.058

Africa Eastern Africa Somalia 10,002,173 9,852,140 98.500 10,001,173 99.990 9,997,172 99.950 United Nations Muslim Percentage Estimations Continent Country / Territory Total Population

198 subregions PEW Forum % Houssain Kettani % Reasonable Est. %

Africa Southern Africa South Africa 49,136,779 737,052 1.500 717,397 1.460 712,483 1.450

Europe Southern Europe Spain 40,542,411 405,424 1.000 1,191,947 2.940 486,509 1.200

Asia Southern Asia Sri Lanka 21,442,574 1,822,619 8.500 1,811,898 8.450 1,715,406 8.000

Africa Northern Africa Sudan 41,627,438 29,680,363 71.300 29,139,207 70.000 27,057,835 65.000

South America South America Suriname 484,516 77,038 15.900 65,167 13.450 93,996 19.400

Europe Northern Europe Svalbard 2,116 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a

Africa Southern Africa Swaziland 1,120,740 2,241 0.200 2,241 0.200 10,647 0.950

Europe Northern Europe Sweden 9,068,547 181,371 2.000 505,118 5.570 281,125 3.100

Europe Western Europe Switzerland 7,617,534 327,554 4.300 324,507 4.260 236,144 3.100 Appendix Asia Western Asia Syria 20,442,254 18,847,758 92.200 17,784,761 87.000 18,463,444 90.320

Asia Eastern Asia Taiwan 23,006,775 23,000 <1.000 216,264 0.940 80,524 0.350

Asia Central Asia Tajikistan 7,433,936 6,274,242 84.400 7,359,597 99.000 6,653,373 89.500

Africa Eastern Africa Tanzania 41,562,437 12,551,856 30.200 14,546,853 35.000 13,216,855 31.800

Asia Southeastern Asia Thailand 66,156,176 3,837,058 5.800 3,016,722 4.560 3,466,584 5.240

Asia Southeastern Asia Timor-Leste 1,145,710 43,537 3.800 3,666 0.320 24,060 2.100

Africa Western Africa Togo 6,119,995 746,639 12.200 856,799 14.000 1,468,799 24.000

Oceania Polynesia Tokelau 1,416 n.a <0.100 0 0.010 n.a n.a

Oceania Polynesia Tonga 121,996 n.a <0.100 61 0.050 100 0.082

North America Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago 1,229,198 71,293 5.800 71,293 5.800 70,064 5.700

Africa Northern Africa Tunisia 10,549,406 10,496,659 99.500 10,443,912 99.000 10,513,538 99.660

Asia Western Asia Turkey 77,422,998 75,874,538 98.000 76,648,768 99.000 77,144,275 99.640

Asia Central Asia Turkmenistan 4,919,062 4,579,647 93.100 4,377,965 89.000 4,517,667 91.840 United Nations Muslim Percentage Estimations Continent Country / Territory Total Population subregions PEW Forum % Houssain Kettani % Reasonable Est. %

North America Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands 23,302 n.a <0.100 33 0.140 n.a n.a

Oceania Polynesia Tuvalu 12,496 12 0.100 12 0.100 n.a n.a

Africa Eastern Africa Uganda 32,903,931 3,981,376 12.100 3,981,376 12.100 1,974,236 6.000

Europe Eastern Europe Ukraine 45,523,704 455,237 1.000 473,447 1.040 204,857 0.450

Asia Western Asia United Arab Emirates 4,907,155 3,739,252 76.200 3,729,438 76.000 3,211,733 65.450

Europe Northern Europe United Kingdom 61,218,219 1,652,892 2.700 2,448,729 4.000 1,224,364 2.000

North America Northern America United States 309,059,772 2,472,478 0.800 7,695,588 2.490 4,604,991 1.490

South America South America Uruguay 3,504,461 1,000 <0.100 350 0.010 350 0.010

Asia Central Asia Uzbekistan 27,765,260 26,737,945 96.300 25,266,387 91.000 23,183,992 83.500 Appendix

Oceania Melanesia Vanuatu 220,396 n.a <0.100 242 0.110 n.a n.a

Europe Southern Europe Vatican City (Holy See) 826 n.a <0.100 n.a n.a n.a n.a

South America South America Venezuela 27,063,332 81,190 0.300 116,372 0.430 94,722 0.350

Asia Southeastern Asia Vietnam 87,490,568 174,981 0.200 69,992 0.080 612,434 0.700

North America Caribbean Virgin Islands 109,805 110 0.100 1,318 1.200 n.a n.a

North America Caribbean Virgin Islands, British 24,768 297 1.200 211 0.850 99 0.400

Oceania Polynesia Wallis and Futuna 15,322 n.a <0.100 n.a n.a n.a n.a

Africa Northern Africa Western Sahara 412,248 409,775 99.400 n.a n.a 411,836 99.900

Asia Western Asia Yemen 24,327,173 24,108,228 99.100 24,322,308 99.980 24,312,577 99.940

Africa Eastern Africa Zambia 11,981,406 47,926 0.400 119,814 1.000 167,740 1.400

Africa Eastern Africa Zimbabwe 11,499,601 103,496 0.900 114,996 1.000 114,996 1.000

199 Total 6,840,877,106 1,577,639,956 23.062 1,635,610,022 23.909 1,530,901,805 22.379

Pew Forum statistics are from the 2009 report Mapping the Global Muslim Population, by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.

NOT LISTED IN 2010 =

These leaders from The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2009 are not listed among the 500 in this year’s edition.

201

Not Listed in 2010

CATEGORY COUNTRY NAME SCHOLARLY Bahrain al Mohmood, Prof. Abed al Lateef

SCHOLARLY Belgium Michot, Yahya M

SCHOLARLY Brunei Haddad, Gibril

SCHOLARLY Canada Kutty, Sheikh Ahmad

SCHOLARLY Canada El Masry, Dr Mohammad

SCHOLARLY Canada , Sheikh Faraz

SCHOLARLY Egypt Kahlawi, Prof. Dr ‘Abla Mohammed

SCHOLARLY Egypt Ezzat, Dr Heba Raouf

SCHOLARLY Germany Köhler, Ayyub Axel

SCHOLARLY India Khan, Wahiduddin

SCHOLARLY Indonesia Azra, Azyumardi

Yazdi, His Eminence Ayatollah SCHOLARLY Iran Mohammad Taghi Mesbah

SCHOLARLY Ivory Coast Damboli, Sheikh Mohammad

Hlayyel, His Excellency Justice Prof. Dr SCHOLARLY Jordan Sheikh Ahmad

SCHOLARLY Jordan al Saqqaf, Sheikh Seyyed Hasan

Fadlallah, His Eminence Grand SCHOLARLY Lebanon Ayatollah Sayeed Mohammad Hussein

Libyan Arab SCHOLARLY Nayed, Prof. Dr Aref Ali Jamahiriya

SCHOLARLY Malaysia Bakar, Prof Dr Dato Osman

SCHOLARLY Morocco Azzouzi, Prof. Dr Abdelhaq

SCHOLARLY Morocco al Murini, Dr al Jilani

SCHOLARLY Pakistan Ansari, Zafar Ishaq

SCHOLARLY Pakistan Ahmed, Dr Israr

SCHOLARLY South Africa Esack, Prof. Farid

SCHOLARLY South Africa Moosa, Prof. Ebrahim

al Bizm, His Eminence Dr Abdul- SCHOLARLY Syria Fattah

SCHOLARLY Syria al Bugha, Mustafa

203 Not Listed in 2010

CATEGORY COUNTRY NAME SCHOLARLY Turkey Sezgin, Prof. Dr Fuat

SCHOLARLY United States Abdullah, Dr Umar Faruq

SCHOLARLY United States Abou El Fadl, Dr Khaled

Ahmed, His Excellency Ambassador SCHOLARLY United States Akbar Salahuddin

SCHOLARLY United States Ayoub, Dr Mahmoud

SCHOLARLY United States Delorenzo, Sheikh Yusuf Talal

SCHOLARLY United States Al Islam, Amir

SCHOLARLY United States Kabbani, Sheikh Muhammad Hisham

SCHOLARLY United States Jackson, Sherman

SCHOLARLY United States Sachedina, Prof. Abdulaziz

Mojaddedi, His Excellency POLITICAL Afghanistan Sibghatullah

Nizami, Motiur Rahman [Down from POLITICAL Bangladesh 43]

POLITICAL Chad Bichara, Ahmat Ismael

POLITICAL Denmark Mojaddedi, Dr Asmat

POLITICAL Egypt El Zayat, Muntasir

POLITICAL Egypt Akef, Mahdi [Down from 12]

Taskhiri, His Eminence Ayatollah POLITICAL Iran Mohammad-Ali

Mohammad, His Excellency Dr POLITICAL Malaysia Mahathir

POLITICAL Pakistan Ahsan, Barrister Chaudhry Aitzaz

POLITICAL Russia Umarov, Dokka

Baccouche, His Excellency Prof. Dr POLITIAL Tunisia Hedi

POLITICAL United Kingdom Ali, Mockbul

POLITICAL United Kingdom Malik, Shahid

ADMINISTRATIVE Albania Mucha, Haxhi Selim

ADMINISTRATIVE Austria Baghajati, Amina

204 Not Listed in 2010

CATEGORY COUNTRY NAME ADMINISTRATIVE Belarus Sha’abanovic, Sheikh Abu Baker

Al Yahya, Dr Abdul-Aziz Mohammad ADMINISTRATIVE Belgium Abdullah

ADMINISTRATIVE Brazil Saifi, Ahmed

ADMINISTRATIVE France Abu Bakr, Sheikh Prof. Dalil

ADMINISTRATIVE Iceland Tamimi, Salmann

ADMINISTRATIVE India Ahmad, Sheikh Aboobackar

ADMINISTRATIVE Iran Shahrestani, Seyyed Javad

ADMINISTRATIVE Jamaica Tijani, Marufat

ADMINISTRATIVE Lebanon Jabri, Dr Abdul-Nasser

ADMINISTRATIVE Lithuania Jakubauskas, Romas

ADMINISTRATIVE Morocco Benbin, Prof. Dr Ahmad Shawqi

ADMINISTRATIVE Nigeria Adegbite, Dr Lateef Oladimeji

ADMINISTRATIVE Nigeria Orire, Justice Abdulkadir

ADMINISTRATIVE Portugal Munir, David

Gaynutdinov, His Eminence Sheikh ADMINISTRATIVE Russia Ravil Ismagilovich

ADMINISTRATIVE Turkey Aydın, His Excellency Mehmet

ADMINISTRATIVE Turkey Eren, His Excellency Halit

ADMINISTRATIVE Turkey Gormez, Dr Mehmet

ADMINISTRATIVE United Kingdom Ali, Amjad

ADMINISTRATIVE United Kingdom El Diwany, Tareq

ADMINISTRATIVE United Kingdom Ghaffur, Tarique

ADMINISTRATIVE United States Amr, Hady

ADMINISTRATIVE United States Helminski, Sheikh Kabir

ADMINISTRATIVE United States Kavakçi, Prof. Dr Hafiz Yusuf Z

ADMINISTRATIVE United States Al Shabazz, Ilyasah

ADMINISTRATIVE United States Wahhaj, Siraj

PREACHERS Saudi Arabia Kalbani, Sheikh Adil

205 Not Listed in 2010

CATEGORY COUNTRY NAME WOMEN Afghanistan Samar, Dr Sima

WOMEN Belgium Ozdemir, Mahinur

WOMEN Egypt Al Halafawi, Jihani

WOMEN Indonesia Mulia, Siti Musdah

WOMEN Indonesia Munir, Lily Zakiyah

WOMEN Iran Hashemi, Faezeh

WOMEN Malaysia Aljeffri, Sharifah Zuriah

WOMEN Morocco Zitan, Naima

WOMEN Pakistan Bibi, Mukhtaran

WOMEN Pakistan Naim, Tanveer Kausar

WOMEN Saudi Arabia Al Huwaider, Wajeha

WOMEN Saudi Arabia Abu-Sulayman, Muna

WOMEN Turkey Gül, Hayrünnisa

WOMEN United States Niaz, Robina

WOMEN United States Wadud, Prof. Dr Amina

YOUTH Pakistan Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto

YOUTH Singapore Lazim, Razak Mohamed

YOUTH United States Ali, Baba

DEVELOPMENT Bahrain Shawqi, Fatima

DEVELOPMENT Canada Slimi, Imam Hamid

DEVELOPMENT China Mah, Mariah

DEVELOPMENT Germany Rieger, Abu Bakr

DEVELOPMENT Gibraltar Sasri, Mohamed

DEVELOPMENT Indonesia Anwar, Syafi’i

Al Ghoneim, His Excellency Prof. Dr DEVELOPMENT Kuwait Abdullah Yusuf

Fahs, Sheikh Seyyed Hani DEVELOPMENT Lebanon

DEVELOPMENT Palestine Abu Awwad, Ali

206 Not Listed in 2010

CATEGORY COUNTRY NAME DEVELOPMENT South Africa Jeenah, Naeem

DEVELOPMENT Spain Escudero, Dr Mansur A

DEVELOPMENT Sudan Osman, Salih Mahmoud

DEVELOPMENT Turkey Benli, Fatma

United Arab DEVELOPMENT Al Mahmoudi, Hussein Mohammad Emirates

DEVELOPMENT United States Awad, Nihad

DEVELOPMENT United States Cader, Rushdi Abdul

DEVELOPMENT United States Khera, Farhana

DEVELOPMENT United States Al Marayati, Salam

DEVELOPMENT United States Nashashibi, Rami

DEVELOPMENT United States Omar, Manal

DEVELOPMENT United States Riaz, Dr Khalid

SCIENCE AND Iran Gholshani, Dr Mehdi TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE AND Kuwait Al Shamlan, Prof. Dr Ali Abdullah TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE AND Dayeh, Her Excellency Dr Kawkab al Syria TECHNOLOGY Sabah Mohammad Jamil

SCIENCE AND United States Chakaki, Mohamad TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE AND United States El Hibri, Fuad TECHNOLOGY

ARTS AND CULTURE Canada Ali, Dawud Wharnsby

ARTS AND CULTURE Canada Amir, Amin

ARTS AND CULTURE Canada K’naan (Kanaan Warsame)

ARTS AND CULTURE Denmark Bachiri, Isam and Qadri, Waqas

ARTS AND CULTURE Iran Abedini, Reza

ARTS AND CULTURE Pakistan Ahmad, Salman

ARTS AND CULTURE Singapore Jalil, Iskandar

ARTS AND CULTURE United Kingdom Azzam, Khaled

207 Not Listed in 2010

CATEGORY COUNTRY NAME ARTS AND CULTURE United States Canon, Anas

ARTS AND CULTURE United States Hammad, Suheir

ARTS AND CULTURE United States Sulaiman, Amir

ARTS AND CULTURE United States Usman, Azhar

MEDIA Egypt Heikal, Mohammad Hassanein

MEDIA Netherlands Dami, Abdellah

MEDIA Turkey Bulaç, Ali

MEDIA United Kingdom Alibhai-Brown, Yasmin

MEDIA United Kingdom Sardar, Ziauddin

MEDIA United States Lekovic, Edina

MEDIA United States Taylor, Tayyibah

Indian-Administered RADICALS Azhar, Maulana Masood Kashmir

RADICALS Palestine-Jordan Al Maqdisi, Abu Muhammad Asem

Al Hawali, Dr Safar bin Abdul- RADICALS Saudi Arabia Rahman

208 INDEX =

Index

Afghanistan Barakzai, Shukria 135 Farid, Andeisha 139 Gilani, Pir Sayyed Ahmad 118 Haqqani, Sirajuddin 170 Hekmatyar, Gulbuddin 169 Karzai, His Excellency President Hamid 110 Mohseni, Saad 166 Omar, Mullah Muhammad 169 Quraishi, Colonel Shafiqa 135 Samandar, Rahimullah 166 Samim, Dr Abdul Zahir Shafiq 118 Sarabi, Her Excellency Dr Habiba 146

Albania Bardhi, His Eminence Haxhi Dede Reshat 128 Koci, Hafiz Sabri 120

Algeria Bouteflika, His Excellency President Abdelaziz 107 Cherif, H.E. Ambassador Prof. Dr Mustafa 97 Ghlamallah, His Excellency Bouabdellah 115 Haddam, Anwar N 107

Angola Drame, Famar 145

Argentina Garcia, Prof. Muhammad Isa 105 Hallar, Muhammad Yusuf 123

Asia/Maldives Nasheed, His Excellency Mohamed 176

Australia Aly, Waleed 104 El Imam, Sheikh Fehmi 104 El Masri, Hazem 149 Houli, Bachar 140

Austria 164 Dirie, Waris 136 Shakfeh, Annas 120

Azerbaijan Aliyev, His Excellency President Ilham 110 Bayramov, Vugar 146 Ibrahimoglu, Ilgar 101 Pashazade, Sheikh ul Islam Haji Allahshukur Hummat 101 Qasimov, Alim 158

Bahrain Al Zayani, Afnan 133 Yaquby, Nizam 97

Bangladesh Abed, Fazle Hasan 147 Hossain, Dr Hameeda 135 Rahman, Mohammad Fazlur 118 Wazed, Her Excellency Sheikha Hasina 110 Yunus, Mohammad 147

211 Index

Belarus Kanapatsky, Ibragim 148 Voronovich, Ismail Mukharemovich 120

Bosnia Karic, Dr Enes 103

Bosnia-Herzegovina Ceric, His Eminence Sheikh Professor Dr Mustafa 86 Mahmutcehajic, His Excellency Prof. Dr Rusmir 148

Brazil Bin Juned, His Eminence Dr Ustaz Haji Awang Abd Aziz 101 Othman, Abdul-Baqi Sayed 124

Brunei Darussalam Waddaulah, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin 79

Bulgaria Hadzhi, His Eminence Mustafa Alish 148

Burkina Faso Aboubakary, Maiga 146 Dokori, Dr Abu Bakr 100

Burundi Nkunduwiga, Haruna 145

Cambodia Adam, H.E. Zakaryya 118

Canada Alshareef, Muhammad 150 Badawi, Dr Jamal 131 Baksh, Nazim 168 Delic, Imam Dr Zijad 124 Doueiri, Dany 150 Kheddar, Cherifa 133 Kutty, Faisal 155 Nawaz, Zarqa 161 Valiante, Wahida 124

Chad Abakar, Sheikh Hussain Hassan 117 Deby Itno, His Excellency President Idriss 109

Chile Torres, Sheikh Ismail 105

China Arshad, Mufti Mohammad 119 Chengzhi, Zhang 159 Guangyuan, Imam Chen Chen 119 Kadeer, Rebiya 178 Noor Deen, Haji (Mi Guang Jiang) 159 Yue, Ma 159

Colombia Al Colombi, Dawood Abdl Ghafur 105

212 Index

Cote d’Ivoire Abdoulaziz, Sheikh Sarba 146

Croatia Alili, Hafiz Aziz 164

Cyprus Al Haqqani, Sheikh Mehmet Nazim Adil al Qubrusi 89

Czech Republic Omic, Imam Emir 130 Sanka, Vladimir 121

Denmark Khader, Nasser 112 Pederson, Abdul Wahid 121

Ecuador Dassum, Dr Layla 105 Suquillo, Juan 124

Egypt Abdelkafy, Sheikh Dr Omar 129 Abo Auf, Dr Ezzat 157 Abulmagd, His Excellency Prof. Dr Kamal 165 Al Aswany, Alaa 157 Al ‘Awa, Sheikh Dr Mohammed Salim 97 Al Husseini, Dr Abd Allah 115 al Tayeb, His Eminence Professor Dr Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad 40 Al Zawahiri, Ayman 169 Badie, Dr Mohammed 50, 171 ElBaradei, Dr Mohamed 92, 107 El Naggar, Zaghloul 153 Goma’a, His Eminence Sheikh Dr Ali 46 Hosni, Mostafa 139 Howeidy, Dr Fahmy 165 Khaled, Amr 56 Masoud, Moez 139 Mubarak, His Excellency President Muhammad Hosni 107 Schleifer, Prof. Dr Suleiman Abdallah 165 Tiblawi, Sheikh Mohammad 163

El Salvador Al Salvadori, Mustafa 123 Qattan, Dr Ahmad 105

Estonia Harsinov, His Emminence, Ahmed 103

Ethiopia Idris, His Eminence Hajji Omar 100

Finland Daher, Okan 121 El Fatatry, Mohamed 154 Ismail, Atik 148

France al Hussayni, His Royal Highness Shah Karim 66 Bechari, Dr Mohammad 113

213 Index

Bencheikh, Sheikh Sohaib 103 Deghati, Reza 160 Guiderdoni, Dr Bruno Abd al Haqq 155 Moussaoui, Mohammed 121

Gambia Jah, His Excellency Ambassador Prof. Dr Omar 100

Germany Denffer, Dr Ahmed von 103

Ghana Abass, Mohammed 139

Guyana Khan, Faizul 149 Shah, Ryhaan 161

India Al Azhari, Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza Khan Qaadiri 78 Bukhari, Syed Ahmad 119 Engineer, Asghar Ali 101, 176 Kalam, His Excellency Dr A P J Abdul 153 Khan, Shahrukh 159 Madani, Maulana Mahmood 85 Naik, Dr Zakir 129 Qasmi, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal 141 Qaudri, Professor Sayid Ameen Mian 101 Rahman, Allah Rakha 159 Sadiq, Maulana Kalbe 101 Saheb, His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammad Burhannuddin 88

Indonesia Alawiyaah, Prof. Dr Tuti 135 Amalee, Irfan 139 Bagir, Haidar 166 Bashir, Abu Bakar 170 Baswedan, Anies 101 Bayuni, Endy M. 166 Djalal, Dr Dino Patti 111 Gymnastiar, Abdullah ‘Aa Gym’ 101 Indrawati, Sri Mulyani 119 Maarif, Syafii 102 Mahfudz, Sahal 119 Mohammad, Goenawan 167 Muhammad, Husein 135 Mumpuni, Tri 153 Rosa, Helvy Tiana 159 Shihab, Quraish 130 Siradj, Dr KH Said Aqil 64 Syamsuddin, Professor Dr M Din 84 Ulfah, Hajjah Maria 164 Umar, Dr Nasaruddin 119 Yudhoyono, His Excellency President Susilo Bambang 44 Zulminarni, Nani 135

Iran Ahmadinejad, His Excellency President Mahmoud 107 Amoli, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Abdullah Jawadi 97 Ansari, Anousheh 153

214 Index

Damad, His Eminence Ayatollah Prof. Dr Seyyed Mostafa Mohaghegh 97 Ebadi, Shirin 133 Ebtekar, Her Excellency Dr Masoumeh 107 Ismail, Dr Wan Azizah Wan 111 Jafari, General Mohammad Ali 115 Jalili, Saaed 108 Khamenei, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali 32 Khatami, His Excellency Mohammad 108 Mousavi, His Excellency Mir-Hossein 88, 175 Nazeri, Shahram 157 Rafsanjani, His Excellency Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi 108 Rahnavard, Zahra 133 Salehi, Dr Ali Akbar 153 Shirazi, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Nasir Makarim 97 Sobhani, His Eminence Ayatollah Jafar 115 Soroush, Abdolkarim 97 Vaez-Tabasi, His Eminence Ayatollah Abbas 115

Iraq Al Baghdadi, Abbas Shakir al Fattal 157 Al Baghdadi, Abu Omar 169 Al Khoei, Sayyed Jawad 141 Al Najafi, Dr al Sheikh Ali Bashir 98 al Najafi, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Bashir 98 Al Sadr, His Eminence Ayatollah al Faqih Seyyed Hussein Ismail 98 Al Sadr, Sheikh Muqtada 127 Dari, Harith 108 Fayadh, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq 92, 98 Hakim, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Said 98 Kubaisi, Sheikh Dr Ahmed 129 Odhaib, Madeeha Hasan 143 Sistani, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Ali Husseini 172 Sistani, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hussein 42

Israel Salah, Sheikh Raed 108

Italy Pallavicini, Imam Yahya Sergio Yahe 121 Pallavicini, Sheikh Abd Al Wahid 130 Qaddorah, Jamal 148

Jamaica Muhammad, Mustafa 123

Jordan Abu Rashta, Ata 171 Al Abbadi, His Excellency Abdul Salam 115, 171 al Abdullah, Her Majesty Queen Rania 81 Al Meheid, Minwer 157 Al Qudah, His Eminence Sheikh Dr Nuh Ali Salman 98 Bin Al Hussein, His Majesty King Abdullah II 34, 175 Bin Talal, His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan 127 Farhan, Ishaq 115 Husseini, Rana 133 Khasawneh, His Eminence Sheikh Abdul Karim 98

Kenya Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed 145 Mazrui, Dr Ali Al’Amin 100

215 Index

Kosovo Thaçi, His Excellency Prime Minister Hashim 113 Trnava, His Eminence Sheikh Naim 121

Kuwait Al Afasy, Sheikh Mishary bin Rashid 163 Al Kharafi, Nasser 141 Al Mutawa, Dr Naif 165 Al Mutawa, Jassem 165 Dashti, Dr Rola 177 Sweidan, Sheikh Dr Tariq 165

Latvia Uldis, Berzins 160

Lebanon Al Sadr, Rabab 143 Assaf, Roger 157 Daouk, Amine M 116 Hariri, His Excellency Saad Rafic 108 Nashabeh, Prof. Dr Hisham 116 Nasrallah, Seyyed Hasan 62, 172 Qabbani, His Eminence Dr Mohammad Rashid 98

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Al Sharif, Prof. Dr Muhammad Ahmed 116 Gaddafi, His Excellency Colonel Muammar 78 Gaddafi, His Excellency Saif al Islam Muammar 143

Malawi Chabulika, Sheikh Dinala 145 King’ombe, Sheikh Aman 117

Malaysia Abidin, His Majesty SPB Yang DiPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal 111 Al Akiti, Dr Muhammad Afifi 102 Al Attas, Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib 102 Anwar, Zaynah 136 Ibrahim, Dato Mashitah 130 Ibrahim, His Excellency Dr Anwar 92, 111 Kader, Mohideen Abdul 147 Nik Mat, Dato’ Haji Nick Abdul Aziz 119 Raihan 159 Razak, Najib Tun 111 Shukor, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar 154

Maldives Saeed, Mohamed Shaheem Ali 120

Mali Keita, Salif 158 Touré, His Excellency President Amadou Toumani 110

Mauritania Bah, Prof. Dr Mohammed el Mokhtar Ould 118 Bin Bayyah, His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah 80 El Mokhtar, Aminetou 135

Mexico Rojas, Isa 105 Weston, Omar 149

216 Index

Morocco Abdul-Rahman, Prof. Dr Taha 98 Altwaijiri, His Excellency Dr Abd al Aziz bin ‘Uthman 90 Buhairi, Muhammad Ahmad 157 His Majesty King Mohammed VI 36 Mernissi, Fatema 133 Modghari, His Excellency Dr Abd al Kabir 116 Yassine, Nadia 134

Mozambique Cheba, Sheikh Muhamade Aboulai 146

Nepal Siddiqui, Muhammadi 136

Netherlands Benali, Abdelkader 160 El Mouhandiz, Rajae 160 Mirza, Umar 167

New Zealand Ghani, Dr Anwar 123 Kireka-Whaanga 123

Niger Mindaoudou, Her Excellency Dodo Aichatou 135

Nigeria Abubakar III, His Royal Eminence Amirul Mu’minin Sheikh as Sultan Muhammadu Sa’adu 72 Ahmed, Dr Ibrahim Datti 100 Ajibola, His Excellency Prince Bola 118 Ashafa, Imam Muhammad 146 Bayero, His Royal Highness Amir al Haji Dr Ado 127 Katsina, Sheikh Yakubu Musa 129 Mohamed, Imam Ustaz Musa 118

Oman Al Khalili, His Eminence Sheikh Ahmad 116 al Sa’id, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Sa’id 38

Pakistan Abd al Wahhab, Hajji Mohammed 58, 172 Ahmed, Qazi Hussain 111 Akhtar, Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad 102 Al Qadri, Dr Muhammad Tahir 93, 103 Chaudry, Chief Justice Iftikhar M 147 Edhi, Abdul Sattar 147 Hamid, Zaid 167 Hashmi, Dr Farhat 102 Jamshed, Junaid 160 Kayani, General Ashfaq 111 Khan, Dr Abdul Qadeer 92, 154 Lodi, Her Excellency Ambassador Dr Maleeha 111 Najafi, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain 102 Parveen, Abida 160 Qadiri, Sheikh Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiri 102, 172 Rahman, Atta-Ur 154 Rahman, Maulana Fazlur 111 Saeed, Hafiz Mohammad 170 Shaikh, Mohammad 93, 130

217 Index

Shakil-ur-Rahman, Mir 167 Siddiqui, Dr Anwar Hussain 120 Soomro, Dr Khalid Mehmood 130 Usmani, His Eminence Justice Sheikh Muhammad Taqi 80 Zafar, Roshaneh 136, 177

Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) Abbas, His Excellency President Mahmoud 108 Abu Awwad, Khaled 143 Abu Elaish, Dr Izzeldin 143 Abu Sarah, Aziz 143 Al Tamimi, His Eminence Justice Sheikh Dr Tayseer Rajab 99 El Faqeeh, Khouloud 134 Haniyah, Ismail 108 Khanfar, Waddah 165 Kuttab, Daoud 166 Mashaal, Khaled 84 Omer, Mohammed 175 Sabri, His Eminence Sheikh Dr Ikrima Sa’id 116

Philippines Abubakar, Ismael 147 Busran Lao, Yasmin 136 Guiapal, Aleem Siddiqu 177 Misuari, Nur 112 Rasul-Bernardo, Amina 147 Rasul, Santanina Tillah 136 Tomawis, Samira Gutoc 140

Portugal Vakil, Abdool Magid Abdool Karim 121

Qatar Al Missned, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser 134 Al Qaradawi, Sheikh Dr Yusuf 54 al Thani, Her Excellency Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh bin Nasser 143 al Thani, Her Excellency Sheikha Mayssa bint Hamad 144 Al Thani, His Highness Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa 68 Husain, Maqbool Fida 158 Philips, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal 166 Younis, Ahmed 177

Russia Kadyrov, His Excellency President Ramzan 113 Minnikhanov, His Excellency President Dr Rustam 113 Nasibullahoglu, Mufti Cafer 121, 122 Yevloyev, Akhmed 113

Saudi Arabia Al Ajmi, Sheikh Ahmed Ali 163 Al Faisal, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed 116 Al Faiz, Norah Abdallah 134 Al Ghamdi, Sheikh Sa’d ibn Sa’id 163 Al Madani, Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali 141 Al Madkhali, Sheikh Rabi’ ibn Haadi ‘Umayr 169 Al Mu’ayqali, Sheikh Mahir bin Hamad 163 Al Ouda, Sheikh Salman 76 Al Qarni, Dr Aaidh 82 Al Rajhi, Sulaiman Abdul Aziz 117 Al Saffar, Hasan Musa 99

218 Index

Al Saud, His Majesty King Abdullah bin ‘Abd Al ‘Aziz 28 Al Saud, His Royal Highness Prince al Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz 141 Al Shatri, Sheikh Abu Bakr 163 Al Sheikh, His Eminence Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Aal 48 Al Shugairi, Ahmad 139 Al Shuraim, Sheikh Abu Ibrahim Sa’ud ibn Muhammad 163 Al Sudais, Sheikh abdul Rahman 163 Al Sudais, Sheikh Abdul Rahman 93 Bin Laden, Bakr 144 Bin Laden, Osama 169 Kreidie, Dr Samir 141 Obaid, Thoraya Ahmed 144 Olayan, Lubna 116

Senegal Cisse, His Eminence Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Ali 83 N’dour, Youssou 158

Singapore Kassim, Ustaz Ibrahim 103 Nassir, Mohammed 140 Rasheed, His Excellency Zainul Abidin 112

Somalia Ahmed, His Excellency President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh 110 Aweys, Sheikh Hassan Dahir 110 Elmi, Asha Haji 146 Osman, Hibaaq 134

South Africa Amla, Hashim 158 As-Sufi, Sheikh Abd al Qadir 123 Bhika, Zain 158 Desai, Mufti Ebrahim 99 Esack, Farid 176 Haffajee, Ferial 166 Hendricks, Maulana Igsaan 117 Hendricks, Sheikh Seraj 99 Patel, Ebrahim 145 Sooliman, Dr Imtiaz Ismail 145

Spain Bakkach El Aamrani, Mostafa 113

Sri Lanka Ismail, Jezima 136 Marsoof, Justice Saleem 154 Mufthi, M.I.M. Rizvi 120

Sudan Al Bashir, His Excellency President Omar 109 Al Mahdi, His Excellency Imam Sayyed al Sadiq 127 Al Turabi, Hassan Abdallah 129 El Bashir, His Excellency Dr Issam 129 Ibrahim, Dr Mohamed ‘Mo’ 144

Sweden Bin Ouda, Helena 122

219 Index

Switzerland Maizar, Hisham 122 Ramadan, Dr Tariq 93, 104

Syria Al Assad, His Excellency President Bashar 109 Al Bouti, Sheikh Dr Muhammad Sa’id Ramadan 60 Alchaar, Dr Mohammed Nedal 117 Al Sabouni, Sheikh Mohammad Ali 82 Al Yaqoubi, Sheikh Muhammad 127 Al-Zuhayli, Dr Prof. Sheikh Wahba Mustafa 99 Hassoun, His Eminence Sheikh Dr Ahmad Badr al Din 99 Itr, Sheikh Dr Nur al Din 99 Qubeysi, Her Eminence Sheikha Munira 74 Taha, Uthman 158

Tajikistan Rahmon, His Excellency Emomalii 112

Thailand Dahlan, Prof. Dr Winai 154 Pitsuwan, His Excellency Dr Surin 112 Sabur, M Abdus 148

Trinidad and Tobago Ali, Imam Yacoob 123

Tunisia Ennaifer, H’mida 99 Ghannushi, Rashid 109

Turkey Bardakoglu, Ali 122 Çagrıcı, His Eminence Prof. Dr Mustafa 122 Çelebi, Hasan 160 Davutoglu, His Excellency Ahmet 113 Dumanli, Ekrem 167 Erbakan, His Excellency Prof. Necmettin 113 Erdogan, His Excellency Recep Tayyip 30 Gülen, Hodjaefendi Fethullah 52, 172, 173 Gül, His Excellency President Abdullah 81 Günesdogdu, Mustafa Özcan 164 Ihsanoglu, His Excellency Professor Dr Ekmelledin 87 Karaman, Prof. Dr Hayrettin 104 Oktar, Adnan 87 Yalçin, Rabia 160

Turkmenistan Berdimuhamedow, His Excellency President Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç 112

Uganda Mamdani, Mahmood 100

United Arab Emirates Al Abbar, Mohammed bin Ali 144 Al Haddad, Dr Ahmed 134 al Hussein, Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint 144 Al Jifri, Sheikh Habib ‘Ali Zain al Abideen 85 Al Maktoum, His Highness Amir Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid 92, 109 al Nahyan, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed 70

220 Index

Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed 109, 176 Al Rostamani, Dr Amina 166

United Kingdom Abdalla, Khalid 161 Ahmed, Lord Nazir 114 Ahsan, Dr Manazir 122 Al Banna, Dr Hany 149 Al Hassani, Dr Salim 155 Atwan, Abdel Bari 167 Azmi, Dr Waqar 149 Bari, Dr Muhammad Abdul 122 Boga, Nizar 149 Islam, Yusuf 161 Janmohamed, Shelina Zahra 137 Joseph, Sarah 167 Kazmi, Nadeem 122 Khalid, Fazlun 155 Khan, Rizwan 167 Mamdani, Mohammed 140 Motala, Hadhrat Sheikhul Hadith Maulana Yusuf 104 Nahdi, Fuad 168 Omaar, Rageh 168 Qureshi, Prof. Khawar 155 Sanders, Peter 161 Ul Haq, Abu Yusuf Riyadh 131 Warsi, Lady Sayeeda 114 Winter, Timothy (Sheikh Abdal-Hakim Murad) 104 Yusuf, Sami 161

United States Abdul-Rashid, Imam Talib 150 Abdur-Rauf, Feisal 150 Al Alwani, Dr Taha Jaber 106 Al-Hibri, Dr Azizah 137 Ali, Imam Mohammad Shamsi 124 Al Ninowy, Sheikh Muhammad bin Yahya al Husayni 128 Amanat, Omar 168 Amanullah, Shahed 168 Butt, Suhail 150 Cheema, Dr Tariq H 142 Clay, Mohammad Ali 150 El Erian, Dr Mohamed 124 Ellison, Representative Keith 114 Estes, Sheikh Yusuf 106 Ghazi, Drs Abidullah and Tasneema 125 Godlas, Dr Alan 168 Gouverneur, Aisha 168 Hanson, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf 86 Hussain, Rashad 114, 175 Idriss, Shamil 150 Kavakçi, Prof. Dr Merve 137 Keller, Sheikh Nuh 106 Khan, Mansur 151 Latif, Imam Khalid 151 Magid, Imam Mohamed 125 Mattson, Ingrid 106 Mattson, Ingrid Dr 92 Mehdi, Anisa 161 Mogahed, Dalia 137

221 Index

Mos Def 162 Nasr, Professor Dr Seyyed Hossein 89 Nyang, Sulayman S 106 Oz, Dr Mehmet 155 Pandith, Farah 175 Perez, Hamza 140 Qazi, Dr Mahmood Ahmad 156 Shakir, Imam Zaid 106 Siddiqui, Prof. Dr Muzammil H 106 Webb, Imam Suhaib 140 Wolfe, Michael 168 Zarabozo, Sheikh Jamaal al-Din M. 131

Uzbekistan Alemov, His Eminence Usman 120

Yemen Al Awlaki, Anwar 169 Ali, Nujood 134 al Mansour, His Eminence Mohammad bin Mohammad 79 Baobaid, Mohammad 144 Hafiz, Sheikh al Habib Umar bin 83 Houthi, Abdul-Malik 177

Zimbabwe Menk, Mufti Ismail Musa 117

222 note on format

• All dates are of the Common Era (CE) unless otherwise stated. The abbrevia- tions CE (Common Era) and AH (Anno Hegirae: years after Hijri) are used for clarity with very old dates.

• Names are presented as individuals refer to themselves, or as they are most fre- quently used; therefore some professors and doctors do not have the honorifics Prof. and Dr in their title. This is except in the Top 50 where full formal titles are written out completely. Royalty and nobility are accorded their traditionally used honorifics.

• The honorific His Eminence is given to figures of religious importance, such as state-level Muftis or Muftis of high stature, and also to Ayatollahs. His Royal Eminence is used for the Sultan of Sokoto, who has a combination of spiritual and regal honors.

• Other honorifics are presented where they apply, such as Ambassador, Repre- sentative, and Lady, among others.

• The title His/Her Excellency is accorded to heads of state, heads of government, and senior diplomats only—as per established usage of these terms. Rarely, individuals wish to avoid such titles, in such cases, we have adhered to the indi- viduals’ preference.

• Names are presented surname-first for ease of navigating and indexing, except in cases where first names are more relevant—such as for some royalty.

• Spelling of names is, where possible, as the individuals spell their own name. In other cases we have adhered to the most common usage.

• Specific terms in languages other than English have been italicized, and de- scribed. Further explanations for terms are presented in a glossary at the rear of this publication.

• For ease of reading we have adhered to the more widespread and straightfor- ward transliterations of Arabic words into English, such as: Sheikh, Shari‘a, Hadith, and Ayatollah.

223 the royal islamic strategic studies centre

ISBN 978-9975-428-37-2

Price: $25